2018 Edition

Background

The US took formal possession of the islands in 1867. The laying of the trans-Pacific cable, which passed through the islands, brought the first residents in 1903. Between 1935 and 1947, Midway was used as a refueling stop for trans-Pacific flights. The US naval victory over a Japanese fleet off Midway in 1942 was one of the turning points of World War II. The islands continued to serve as a naval station until closed in 1993. Today the islands are a US National Wildlife Refuge. From 1996 to 2002 and 2008 to 2012 the refuge was open to the public, but it is now closed.

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; moderated by prevailing easterly winds

Coastline

15 km

Elevation

0 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean

note

15 highest point: water tower hill on Sand Island

Environment Current Issues

small plastic ocean debris mistaken for fish or squid by birds is fed to fledglings resulting in starvation; fishing nets that wash ashore entangle wildlife resulting in starvation or strangulation

Geographic Coordinates

28 12 N, 177 22 W

Geography Note

the coral atoll is managed as a national wildlife refuge and was open to the public for ecotourism from 1996 to 2002 and then again from 2008 to 2012; in 2000, the lands and waters of the Midway National Wildlife Refuge were also designated as the Battle of Midway National Monument; Henderson Airfield on Sand Island continues to serve as an emergency landing field for military and civilian aircraft transiting the Pacific Ocean

Irrigated Land

0 sq km (2012)

Land Boundaries

0 km

Land Use

arable land: 0% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 0% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 0% (2011 est.)

agricultural land

0% (2011 est.)

forest

0% (2011 est.)

other

100% (2011 est.)

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

tropical storms

Natural Resources

terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

Terrain

low, nearly flat

Population

no indigenous inhabitants; approximately 40 people make up the staff of US Fish and Wildlife Service and their services contractor living at the atoll (July 2014 est.)

Citizenship

note

see United States

Country Name

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Midway Islands

etymology

originally named the Middlebrook Islands after the US captain who discovered them in 1859; the name became Midway later in the 19th century and reflects the islands' position in the North Pacific Ocean roughly equidistant between North America and Asia

Dependency Status

unincorporated territory of the US; formerly administered from Washington, DC, by the US Navy; 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

Legal System

the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Airports With Paved Runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

2 (2013)

total

2 (2013)

Airports With Unpaved Runways

914 to 1,523 m

1 (2013)

total

1 (2013)

Ports And Terminals

major seaport(s)

Sand Island

Transportation Note

Henderson Field on Sand Island serves as an emergency landing site for aircraft crossing the Pacific Ocean

Military Note

defense is the responsibility of the US

Disputes International

none