  We introduce Fenchel-Nielsen coordinates on Teicm\"uller spaces of surfaces
of infinite type. The definition is relative to a given pair of pants
decomposition of the surface. We start by establishing conditions under which
any pair of pants decomposition on a hyperbolic surface of infinite type can be
turned into a geometric decomposition, that is, a decomposition into hyperbolic
pairs of pants. This is expressed in terms of a condition we introduce and
which we call Nielsen convexity. This condition is related to Nielsen cores of
Fuchsian groups. We use this to define the Fenchel-Nielsen Teichm\"uller space
associated to a geometric pair of pants decomposition. We study a metric on
such a Teichm\"uller space, and we compare it to the quasiconformal
Teichm\"uller space, equipped with the Teichm\"uller metric. We study
conditions under which there is an equality between these Teichm\"uller spaces
and we study topological and metric properties of the identity map when this
map exists.
