Pohnpei "upon (pohn) a holy altar (pei)" (formerly known as Ponape) is the name of one of the four states in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), and among the Senyavin Islands (part of the larger Caroline Islands group). Palikir, the FSM's capital, is located on Pohnpei. Pohnpei International Airport (IATA code PNI) is located near Kolonia, on a small island off the northern coast of the main island.
Pohnpei island is the largest, highest, most populated, and most developed single island in the FSM. It is also considered to be the most friendly of the group, and it is widely regarded as the most beautifully diverse island in all of Micronesia.
Pohnpei is one of the wettest places on earth with annual recorded rainfall exceeding 300 inches each year in certain mountainous locations.
An ethnography called "Nest in the Wind" was written about Pohnpeians and their culture by Martha Ward in 1989. A 2nd edition with appended chapters at the end tell of modern Pohnpeian culture and the changes that happened in the 30 years between Ward's visits.
