1998 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1998 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Area
total: 2.8 sq km land: 2.8 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative
about 4.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Climate
tropical, but generally dry; consistent northeast trade winds with little seasonal temperature variation
Coastline
10 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Summit Peak 5 m
Environment-current issues
no natural fresh water resources
Environment-international agreements
party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geographic coordinates
16 45 N, 169 30 W
Geography-note
strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean; Johnston Island and Sand Island are natural islands, which have been expanded by coral dredging; North Island (Akau) and East Island (Hikina) are manmade islands formed from coral dredging; closed to the public; former US nuclear weapons test site; site of Johnston Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal System (JACADS); some low-growing vegetation
Irrigated land
0 sq km (1993)
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100%
Location
Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-third of the way from Hawaii to the Marshall Islands
Map references
Oceania
Maritime claims
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural hazards
NA
Natural resources
NA; guano deposits worked until depletion about 1890
Terrain
mostly flat
People and Society
Population
no indigenous inhabitants note: there are 1,200 US military and civilian contractor personnel (January 1997 est.)
Population growth rate
-6.41% (1998 est.)
Government
Country name
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Johnston Atoll
Data code
JQ
Dependency status
unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the US Defense Special Weapons Agency (DSWA) and managed cooperatively by DSWA and the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system
Flag description
the flag of the US is used
Legal system
NA
Economy
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 base operating support contractor
Electricity-production
six 25,000 kWh generators note: electricity supplied by the base operating support contractor Communications
Radio broadcast stations
AM NA, FM 5 channels; also 1 local volunteer FM radio station;, shortwave NA; 1 amateur station, call sign KJ6BZ
Telephone system
13 outgoing and 10 incoming commercial lines; adequate telecommunications domestic: 60-channel submarine cable, 22 DSN circuits by satellite, Autodin with standard remote terminal, digital telephone switch, Military Affiliated Radio System (MARS station), UHF/VHF air-ground radio, a link to the Pacific Consolidated Telecommunications Network (PCTN) satellite international: NA
Television broadcast stations
commercial satellite television system, 16 channels
Transportation
Airports
1 (1997 est.) Airports-with paved runways: total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Military and Security
Military-note
defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues
Disputes-international
none