Palikir (/ˈpælɪˌkɪər/) is a town and the capital of the Federated States of Micronesia in the western Pacific Ocean. It is part of the much larger Sokehs municipality, which had a population of 7000 as of 2009, with 106,487 being the total population of the country. It is situated on the northwest side of Pohnpei island (population 33,000) a high volcanic island surrounded by a fringing coral reef. Nearby to the northeast is the island's largest settlement, the coastal town of Kolonia.
The Federated States of Micronesia boast some of the clearest-blue seas you will ever see, with white, crumbly sand shores. In islands like Chuuk are shallow and vast lagoons of monumental beauty, filled with shipwrecks and kaleidoscopic corals. The islands are a paradise for divers, and many argue that the area is diving and snorkeling ranks among the best in the world.
Many of the skills required for the production of indigenous graphic art in the FSM have been lost. Canoe carving, once a highly evolved and valued art form, is largely forgotten among the young men who prefer to fish from fiberglass out-board motorboats.