About Island Affairs

At a glance

The Office of Islands (OIA) Affairs collaborates with health officials and non-governmental organizations to strengthen public health infrastructure and services in the Caribbean and US-Affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPI) with consideration their unique historical, geographic, social/demographic, and cultural dynamics to maximize public health impact.

Truk lagoon, Chuuk

About

OIA is situated within CDC's National Center for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Public Health Infrastructure and Workforce. OIA focuses on strengthening public health systems to improve public health outcomes for the US territories and freely associated states. OIA does this by facilitating technical assistance, training, information, funding, and technology transfer.

OIA works closely with the five territories and three freely associated states, connecting them to CDC programs, funding, and resources. In doing so, OIA helps strengthen their public health systems and improve community health. Territories are sub-national administrative divisions overseen by the US government. Freely associated states are independent nations that have signed a comprehensive agreement with the US called a "Compact of Free Association,". A Compact agreement governs diplomatic, economic, and military relations with the US.

  • Territories:
    • American Samoa
    • Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
    • Guam
    • Puerto Rico
    • US Virgin Islands
  • Freely associated states:
    • Federated States of Micronesia
    • Republic of Palau
    • Republic of the Marshall Islands

Office of Island Affairs Fact Sheet

Maps

A map showing the Atlantic Caribbean islands. Water is shown in white and most land is shown in teal. Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands are shown in orange, denoting that they are US territories.
Atlantic Caribbean Islands Map
A map showing the Pacific islands. Water is shown in white and most land is shown in teal. Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands are shown in orange, denoting that they are US territories. The Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Marshall Islands are shown in green, denoting that they are freely associated states.
Pacific Islands Map

Contacts

Contact Us OIA@cdc.gov

Samuel Taveras, M.Ed., MPH, Director, Office of Island Affairs

Resources

Learn more about public health work in the US territories and freely associated states through the links below.

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Content Source:
Public Health Infrastructure Center