2003 Edition

Airports

lagoon was used as a halfway station between Hawaii and American Samoa by Pan American Airways for flying boats in 1937 and 1938 (2002) Military Kingman Reef

Area

land

1 sq km

total

1 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Background

The US annexed the reef in 1922. Its sheltered lagoon served as a way station for flying boats on Hawaii-to-American Samoa flights during the late 1930s. There are no terrestrial plants on the reef, which is frequently awash, but it does support abundant and diverse marine fauna and flora. In 2001, the waters surrounding the reef out to 12 NM around the reef were designated a US National Wildlife Refuge. Geography Kingman Reef

Climate

tropical, but moderated by prevailing winds

Coastline

3 km

Country name

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Kingman Reef

Dependency status

unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the US Fish and Wildlife Service of the Department of the Interior

note

on 1 September 2000, the Department of the Interior accepted restoration of its administrative jurisdiction over Kingman Reef from the Department of the Navy; Executive Order 3223 signed 18 January 2001 established Kingman Reef National Wildlife Refuge to be administered by the Director, US Fish and Wildlife Service; this refuge is managed to protect the terrestrial and aquatic wildlife of Kingman Reef out to the 12-nautical-mile territorial sea limit

Disputes - international

none This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Economy - overview

no economic activity Transportation Kingman Reef

Elevation extremes

highest point

unnamed location 1 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

none

Flag description

the flag of the US is used Economy Kingman Reef

Geographic coordinates

6 24 N, 162 24 W

Geography - note

barren coral atoll with deep interior lagoon; closed to the public People Kingman Reef

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, reef in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and American Samoa

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 Kingman Reef

Natural hazards

wet or awash most of the time, maximum elevation of about 1 meter makes Kingman Reef a maritime hazard

Natural resources

terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

Population

uninhabited (July 2003 est.) Government Kingman Reef

Ports and harbors

none; offshore anchorage only

Terrain

low and nearly level

Waterways

none