Determinants and Dynamics of Micronesian Emigration

The Numbers
Emigration has grown rapidly especially since beginning of
the Compacts
But not unpredicted:
1963 Solomon report “in the long run ... certain inflexible
economic limitations of the area and the increasing
population pressure must eventually compel substantial
emigration of Micronesians.”
1986 Fran Hezel “There is every reason to believe that the
trickle of emigrants will increase considerably in the near
future… Unless the island nations of Micronesia are somehow
able to turn around their economies and create hundreds of
new jobs without the assistance of higher levels of US aid,
there is a good chance that more young people will elect to
leave home and pursue jobs, wherever they are to be found.”