| Background: |
The Kingdom of
Hawaii claimed the atoll in 1862, and the US included it
among the Hawaiian Islands when it annexed the archipelago
in 1898. The Hawaii Statehood Act of 1959 did not include
Palmyra Atoll, which is now privately owned by the Nature
Conservancy. This organization is managing the atoll as a
nature preserve. The lagoons and surrounding waters within
the 12 nautical mile US territorial seas were transferred to
the US Fish and Wildlife service and designated a National
Wildlife Refuge in January 2001. |
| Location: |
Oceania, atoll in
the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from
Hawaii to American Samoa |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
5 52 N, 162 06 W |
| Area: |
total:
11.9 sq km
land: 11.9 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
| Area
- comparative: |
about 20 times
the size of The Mall in Washington, DC |
| Maritime
claims: |
exclusive
economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
| Climate: |
equatorial, hot,
and very rainy |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 2 m |
| Natural
resources: |
terrestrial and
aquatic wildlife |
| Land
use: |
arable land:
0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 100%
other: 0% |
| Irrigated
land: |
0 sq km (1993) |
| Environment
- current issues: |
NA |
| Geography
- note: |
about 50 islets
covered with dense vegetation, coconut trees, and balsa-like
trees up to 30 meters tall |
| Population: |
no indigenous
inhabitants; 4 to 20 Nature Conservancy staff, US Fish and
Wildlife staff (July 2001 est.) |
| Country
name: |
conventional
long form: none
conventional short form: Palmyra Atoll |
| Dependency
status: |
incorporated
territory of the US; privately owned, but administered from
Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US
Department of the Interior |
| Legal
system: |
the laws of the
US, where applicable, apply |
| Flag
description: |
the flag of the
US is used |
| Economy
- overview: |
no economic
activity |
| Highways: |
much of the road
and many causeways built during World War II are
unserviceable and overgrown (2001) |
| Ports
and harbors: |
West Lagoon |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
| Military
- note: |
defense is the
responsibility of the US |
| Disputes
- international: |
none |
|
