1992 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1992 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Climate
tropical, but moderated by prevailing winds
Coastline
3 km
Comparative area
about 1.7 times the size of the Mall in Washington, DC
Contiguous zone
12 nm
Continental shelf
200 m (depth)
Disputes
none
Environment
barren coral atoll with deep interior lagoon; wet or awash most of the time
Exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Land area
1 km2
Land boundaries
none
Land use
arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 100%
Natural resources
none
Note
located 1,600 km south-southwest of Honolulu in the North Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and American Samoa; maximum elevation of about 1 meter makes this a navigational hazard; closed to the public
Terrain
low and nearly level with a maximum elevation of about 1 meter
Territorial sea
12 nm
Total area
1 km2
People and Society
Population
uninhabited
Government
Capital
none; administered from Washington, DC
Long-form name
none
Type
unincorporated territory of the US administered by the US Navy
Economy
Overview
no economic activity
Communications
Airports
lagoon was used as a halfway station between Hawaii and American Samoa by Pan American Airways for flying boats in 1937 and 1938
Ports
none; offshore anchorage only
Military and Security
Note
defense is the responsibility of the US