Pohnpei "upon (
pohn) a stone altar (
pei)" (formerly known as
Ponape) is the name of an island of the
Senyavin Islands which are part of the larger
Caroline Islands group. It belongs to
Pohnpei State, one of the four
states in the
Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). Major population centers on Pohnpei include
Palikir, the FSM's capital, and
Kolonia, the capital of Pohnpei State. Pohnpei Island is the largest (334 km2), highest (almost 800m), most populous (34,000 people), and most developed single island in the FSM. The islanders of Pohnpei have a reputation as being the most welcoming of outsiders among residents of the island group.