| 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 wildlife refuge open
to the public. |
| Location: |
Oceania, atoll in
the North Pacific Ocean, about one-third of the way from
Honolulu to Tokyo |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
28 13 N, 177 22 W |
| Area: |
total:
6.2 sq km
land: 6.2 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Eastern Island, Sand Island, and
Spit Island |
| Area
- comparative: |
about nine times
the size of The Mall in Washington, DC |
| Maritime
claims: |
exclusive
economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
| Climate: |
subtropical, but
moderated by prevailing easterly winds |
| Terrain: |
low, nearly level |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 13 m |
| Natural
resources: |
wildlife,
terrestrial and aquatic |
| Land
use: |
arable land:
0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100% |
| Irrigated
land: |
0 sq km (1998) |
| Environment
- current issues: |
NA |
| 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 |
| Population: |
no indigenous
inhabitants; approximately 150 people make up the staff of
US Fish and Wildlife Service and their services cooperator
living at the atoll (July 2001 est.) |
| Country
name: |
conventional
long form: none
conventional short form: Midway Islands |
| 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 |
| Legal
system: |
the laws of the
US, where applicable, apply |
| Flag
description: |
the flag of the
US is used |
| 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. |
| Highways: |
total:
NA km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Sand Island |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
| Military
- note: |
defense is the
responsibility of the US |
| Disputes
- international: |
none |
|
