2000 Edition
CIA World Factbook 2000 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
- land
- 6.2 sq km
- note
- includes Eastern Island, Sand Island, and Spit Island
- total
- 6.2 sq km
- water
- 0 sq km
Area - comparative
about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Climate
subtropical, but moderated by prevailing easterly winds
Coastline
15 km
Elevation extremes
- highest point
- unnamed location 13 m
- lowest point
- Pacific Ocean 0 m
Environment - current issues
NA
Geographic coordinates
28 13 N, 177 22 W
Geography - note
a coral atoll managed as a national wildlife refuge and open to the public for wildlife-related recreation in the form of wildlife observation and photography, sport fishing, snorkeling, and scuba diving
Irrigated land
0 sq km (1998)
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
- arable land
- 0%
- forests and woodland
- 0%
- other
- 100%
- permanent crops
- 0%
- permanent pastures
- 0%
Location
Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-third of the way from Honolulu to Tokyo
Map references
Oceania
Maritime claims
- exclusive economic zone
- 200 nm
- territorial sea
- 12 nm
Natural hazards
NA
Natural resources
wildlife, terrestrial and aquatic
Terrain
low, nearly level
People and Society
Population
no indigenous inhabitants (July 2000 est.)
Government
Capital
none; administered from Washington, DC
Country name
- conventional long form
- none
- conventional short form
- Midway Islands
Data code
MQ
Dependency status
unincorporated territory of the US; formerly administered from Washington, DC, by the US Navy, under Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific Division; this facility has been operationally closed since 10 September 1993; on 31 October 1996, through a presidential executive order, the jurisdiction and control of the atoll was transferred to 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
Economy
Economy - overview
The economy is based on providing support services for the national wildlife refuge activities located on the islands. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.
Transportation
Airports
3 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways
- total
- 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways
- total
- 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1999 est.)
Highways
- paved
- NA km
- total
- 32 km
- unpaved
- NA km
Pipelines
7.8 km
Ports and harbors
Sand Island
Military and Security
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
- none
- MOLDOVA