Associated State • Official & Validated

Includes access to many U.S. domestic programs and services.

Defense is provided by the U.S. under a Compact of Free Association. United States

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: The associated state maintains full control over its internal constitution and domestic affairs. It determines its own legal and political systems without outside interference.

: A key feature of "free association" is that the relationship is not permanent; the associated state usually retains the right to terminate the association and move toward full independence or another status.

: The smaller state voluntarily delegates specific functions—most commonly national defense and foreign relations —to the principal state.

: Citizens of associated states often receive specific privileges in the principal state, such as migration rights , access to federal disaster relief, or postal services.

In political science and international law, an is a sovereign or semi-sovereign territory that has a formal, free, and voluntary relationship with a larger "principal" state.