1991 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1991 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Climate
equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun
Coastline
4.8 km
Comparative area
about 2.3 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Environment
treeless, sparse and scattered vegetation consisting of grasses, prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; lacks fresh water; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife
Land boundaries
none
Land use
arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 100%
Maritime claims
Contiguous zone: 12 nm; Continental shelf: 200 m (depth); Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
guano (deposits worked until 1891)
Note
remote location 2,575 km southwest of Honolulu in the North Pacific Ocean, just north of the Equator, about halfway between Hawaii and Australia
Terrain
low, nearly level coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef
Total area
1.4 km2; land area: 1.4 km2
People and Society
Note
American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by special-use permit only and generally restricted to scientists and educators; a cemetery and cemetery ruins located near the middle of the west coast
Population
uninhabited
Government
Long-form name
none
Type
unincorporated territory of the US administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system
Economy
Overview
no economic activity
Communications
Airports
1 abandoned World War II runway of 1,665 m
Note
there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast
Ports
none; offshore anchorage only, one boat landing area along the middle of the west coast
Military and Security
Note
defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US Coast Guard _%_