Micronesia is a region of Oceania, located just east of the Philippines, west of Polynesia, and north-east of Indonesia. The distance from one end to the other end of Micronesia is 2040 nautical miles, and the area includes over 2000 islands. Micronesia consists of eight different island groups, four of which make up the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). The four states are Pohnpei, Yap, Chuuk, and Kosrae, and the other four groups of islands are; Guam (a U.S. territory), the Republic of Palau, the Marshall Islands (independent nations), and the Northern Mariana Islands (a commonwealth associated with the U.S.).