World Factbook 2000 [F]
by the CIA
WAKE ISLAND
Wake Island: Geography
Location: Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to the Northern Mariana Islands
Geographic coordinates: 19 17 N, 166 36 E
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 6.5 sq km land: 6.5 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 19.3 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical
Terrain: atoll of three coral islands built up on an underwater volcano; central lagoon is former crater, islands are part of the rim
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 6 m
Natural resources: none
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998)
Natural hazards: occasional typhoons
Environment - current issues: NA
Geography - note: strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean; emergency landing location for transpacific flights
Wake Island: People
Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: US military personnel have left the island, but some civilian personnel remain (July 2000 est.)
Wake Island: Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Wake Island
Data code: WQ
Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC by the Department of the Interior; occasional activities on the island are managed by the US Army under a US Air Force contract
Flag description: the flag of the US is used
Wake Island: Economy
Economy - overview: Economic activity is limited to providing services to contractors located on the island. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.
Electricity - production: NA kWh
Wake Island: Communications
Telephone system: satellite communications; 1 DSN circuit off the Overseas Telephone System (OTS) domestic: NA international: NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM NA, shortwave NA note: Armed Forces Radio/Television Service (AFRTS) radio service provided by satellite (1998)
Television broadcast stations: 0 (1997)
Wake Island: Transportation
Ports and harbors: none; two offshore anchorages for large ships
Airports: 1 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (1999 est.)
Transportation - note: formerly an important commercial aviation base, now occasionally used by US military, some commercial cargo planes, and for emergency landings
Wake Island: Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US
Wake Island: Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: claimed by Marshall Islands
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