2003 Edition

Airports

1 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

total

1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002) Military Johnston Atoll

Area

land

2.8 sq km

total

2.8 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

about 4.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Background

Both the US and the Kingdom of Hawaii annexed Johnston Atoll in 1858, but it was the US that mined the guano deposits until the late 1880s. The US Navy took over the atoll in 1934, and subsequently the US Air Force assumed control in 1948. The site was used for high-altitude nuclear tests in the 1950s and 1960s, and until late in 2000 the atoll was maintained as a storage and disposal site for chemical weapons. Munitions destruction is now complete. Cleanup and closure of the facility is progressing, with completion anticipated in 2004. Geography Johnston Atoll

Climate

tropical, but generally dry; consistent northeast trade winds with little seasonal temperature variation

Coastline

34 km

Country name

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Johnston Atoll

Dependency status

unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Honolulu, HI, by Pacific Air Forces, Hickam Air Force Base, and the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system

Disputes - international

none This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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 - consumption

2.002 million kWh; note - approximate annual consumption Communications Johnston Atoll

Electricity - production

44.2 million kWh; note - approximate annual production; there are six 25,000 kWh generators operated by the base operating support contractor (1999)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Summit Peak 5 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

no natural fresh water resources

Flag description

the flag of the US is used Economy Johnston Atoll

Geographic coordinates

16 45 N, 169 31 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; the egg-shaped reef is 34 km in circumference; closed to the public; a former US nuclear weapons test site; site of Johnston Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal System (JACADS); some low-growing vegetation People Johnston Atoll

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 256 KB circuit to US Department of Defense-run Nonsecure Internet Protocol Router Network (NIPRNET) (2002) Transportation Johnston Atoll

Irrigated land

0 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

0%

other

100% (1998 est.)

permanent crops

0%

Legal system

the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Location

Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 717 NM (1328 km) southwest of Honolulu, Hawaii, 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

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the US Transnational Issues Johnston Atoll

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

guano deposits worked until depletion about 1890, terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

Population

no indigenous inhabitants

note

in previous years, there was an average of 1,100 US military and civilian contractor personnel present; as of September 2001, population had decreased significantly when US Army Chemical Activity Pacific (USACAP) departed; as of January 2003 the island population was just above 800 personnel, including US Air Force, US Department of Defense civilian, and civilian contractor personnel (January 2003 est.) (July 2003 est.) Government Johnston Atoll

Ports and harbors

Johnston Island

Radio broadcast stations

AM NA, FM 7 (1 island-run morale, welfare, and recreation station and 6 all-music digital radio stations broadcast over FM band), shortwave NA (2002)

Telephone system

domestic

60-channel submarine cable (broken in January 2002), 24 DSN circuits by satellite, Automated Digital Network (AUTODIN) with standard remote terminal, digital telephone switch, Military Affiliated Radio System (MARS) station (scheduled for decommissioning March 2003), UHF/VHF air-ground radio, a link to the Pacific Consolidated Telecommunications Network (PCTN) satellite

general assessment

33 commercial lines, 15 incoming and 18 outgoing; adequate telecommunications

international

NA (2002)

Television broadcast stations

commercial satellite television system, with 30 channels (2002)

Terrain

mostly flat

Waterways

none