Data Centers in Yap

Yap – Strategic Edge Connectivity for the Western Pacific

Executive Summary

Yap serves as a specialized edge landing point for organizations needing localized infrastructure within the Federated States of Micronesia. This market provides a stable base for maritime, government, and Pacific-specific service delivery where low regional latency is vital. It is a key link for securing data residency and operational continuity in a remote but strategically significant corridor.

Yap: At A Glance

Network & Connectivity Ecosystem

As a digital infrastructure analyst, I see Yap as a specialized link built for reliability over volume. The connectivity here focuses on regional resilience.

Carrier Density & Carrier Neutrality: Carrier count: 1–2. As of December 2025, the market is served by a limited number of providers focused on regional subsea cable landings and satellite backhaul.

Direct Cloud On-Ramps: 0, enabling access to 0 cloud regions. There are no direct on-ramps for AWS, Google Cloud (GCP), or Microsoft Azure on the island as of December 2025. Connectivity to these services is typically routed through Guam via high-capacity private circuits.

Internet Exchange Points (IXPs): Most peering occurs privately or via the nearest regional hub in Guam. Local traffic exchange is handled by primary carriers to maintain local uptime.

Bare Metal: Service is available through global providers like Hivelocity or Latitude.sh. These are typically specialized hardware deployments for edge workloads as of December 2025.

Power Analysis

Average Cost Of Power: $0.45 – $0.55/kWh, as of December 2025. The power mix is approximately 100% fossil fuels (diesel), resulting in high operational costs that reflect the geographical isolation of the island. This requires efficient hardware configurations to manage operating expenses.

Power Grid Reliability: The local grid is engineered for stability in key administrative corridors. Facilities often employ redundant onsite generation to mitigate fluctuations in the municipal supply.

Market Access, Business & Tax Climate

Proximity To Key Business Districts: Data center assets are centrally located near Ruul, providing immediate proximity to government offices and maritime logistics hubs. This location is vital for organizations managing local administrative or supply chain data.

Regional Market Reach: Yap serves as a primary digital gateway for the Western Federated States of Micronesia. It provides a strategic jumping-off point for services targeting the broader Western Pacific geography.

Tax Advantage For Data Centers: The US–FSM Compact provides significant tax and fee exemptions for specific international contractors and sources outside the FSM. This framework helps customers reduce the fiscal burden associated with deploying long-term digital infrastructure in the region.

Natural Disaster Risk

Yap maintains a Moderate (3.4/10) risk profile as of December 2025. Infrastructure planning must account for the environmental variables inherent to a Pacific island setting.

Drought: 6.0/10. Water scarcity can impact cooling requirements for traditional facilities.

Tsunami: 5.9/10. Coastal sites are at risk, making elevation a primary requirement for resilient data center construction.

Coastal Flood: 3.1/10. While material, this risk is regional and can be mitigated by inland site selection.

Epidemic: 3.0/10. Public health events can impact staffing and maintenance cycles.

Tropical Cyclone: 2.3/10. Periodic storm activity requires facilities built to high wind-load standards.

Other natural hazards, such as earthquakes and river flooding, are considered minor as of December 2025.