Historical evidence indicates that the islands of the region were discovered some two or three thousand years ago by explorers from Southeast Asia. During those early days there was also close affiliations with neighboring islands.

During Medieval times, the ruling class of Pohnpei was the Saudeleures, a tyrannical dynasty who reigned from Nam Madol. Ohlosohpa, the first of the 16 Saudeleures, was one of the builders of this canal city around 500 AD.

Then, in the 13th Century, a new dynasty was established, when Isokelekel destroyed the last king of the Saudeleure Dynasty. This new dynasty was the Nahnmwarki and its system of government is in place since those days.

In the 19th century, Spain made Pohnpei one of their colonies. But after the Spanish-American War (1899) the Germans took over. This lasted until 1914 when, during World War I, Japan succeeded in occupying the island.

It was after World War II that the United States took over and claimed the islands as the United Nations’s Trust Territory.

Finally in 1979, a federation was established between Pohnpei , Yap, Chuuk and Kosrae, neighboring islands of the Trust Territory.
These four islands became the Federated States of Micronesia. In 1986, the United States ratified the Compact of Free Association Treaty and the FSM gained official independence. The Federated States of Micronesia joined the United Nations as a sovereign state in 1991.