(territory of the US)

Location: Oceania, island 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 (1993)

Natural hazards: occasional typhoons

Environment - current issues: NA

Environment - international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA

Geography - note: strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean; emergency landing location for transpacific flights

Population: no indigenous inhabitants
note: there are 302 US military and contract personnel (July 1995 est.)

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form : Wake Island

Data code: WQ

Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; administered by the US Army and Strategic Defense Command since 1 October 1994

National capital: none; administered from Washington, DC

Independence: none (territory of the US)

Flag description: the flag of the US is used

Economy - overview: Economic activity is limited to providing services to US military personnel and contractors located on the island. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.

Electricity - capacity: NA kW
note: electricity supplied by the US military

Electricity - production: NA kWh
note: electricity supplied by the US military

Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh

Telephones: NA

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

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: NA
note: Armed Forces Radio/Television Service (AFRTS) television service provided by satellite

Televisions: NA

Railways: 0 km

Ports and harbors: none; two offshore anchorages for large ships

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 1

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (1996 est.)

Transportation - note: formerly an important commercial aviation base, now used by US military, some commercial cargo planes, as well as the US Army Space and Strategic Defense Command for missile launches

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Disputes - international: claimed by the Republic of the Marshall Islands