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
Geographic coordinates:
16 45 N, 169 31 W
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 2.63 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land:
2.63 sq km
water:
0 sq km
Area - comparative:
about 4.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]
Coastline:
34 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
Climate:
tropical, but generally dry; consistent northeast trade winds with little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain:
mostly flat
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - lowest point country ranks ]
highest point:
Summit Peak 5 m
Natural resources:
guano deposits (worked until depletion about 1890), terrestrial and aquatic wildlife
Land use:
arable land: 0%
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops:
0%
other:
100% (2011)
Irrigated land:
0 sq km (2011)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]
Environment - current issues:
no natural fresh water resources
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 now-closed Johnston Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal System (JACADS); most facilities dismantled and cleanup complete in 2004; some low-growing vegetation