| Background: |
The US annexed
Wake Island in 1899 for a cable station. An important air
and naval base was constructed in 1940-41. In December 1941
the island was captured by the Japanese and held until the
end of World War II. In subsequent years, Wake was developed
as a stopover and refueling site for military and commercial
aircraft transiting the Pacific. Since 1974, the island's
airstrip has been used by the US military and some
commercial cargo planes, as well as for emergency landings.
There are over 700 landings a year on the island. |
| Location: |
Oceania, atoll in
the North Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from
Hawaii to the Northern Mariana Islands |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
19 17 N, 166 36 E |
| Area: |
total:
6.5 sq km
land: 6.5 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
| Area
- comparative: |
about 11 times
the size of The Mall in Washington, DC |
| Maritime
claims: |
exclusive
economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
| Terrain: |
atoll of three
coral islands built up on an underwater volcano; central
lagoon is former crater, islands are part of the rim |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 6 m |
| Land
use: |
arable land:
0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100% |
| Irrigated
land: |
0 sq km (1998) |
| Natural
hazards: |
occasional
typhoons |
| Environment
- current issues: |
NA |
| Geography
- note: |
strategic
location in the North Pacific Ocean; emergency landing
location for transpacific flights |
| Population: |
no indigenous
inhabitants
note: US military personnel have left the
island, but civilian personnel remain; as of December 2000,
one US Army civilian and 123 civilian contractor personnel
were present (January 2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
NA |
| Country
name: |
conventional
long form: none
conventional short form: Wake Island |
| Dependency
status: |
unincorporated
territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by
the Department of the Interior; activities on the island are
managed by the US Army under a US Air Force permit |
| Legal
system: |
the laws of the
US, where applicable, apply |
| Flag
description: |
the flag of the
US is used |
| Economy
- overview: |
Economic activity
is limited to providing services to contractors located on
the island. All food and manufactured goods must be
imported. |
| Electricity
- production: |
NA kWh |
| Telephone
system: |
general
assessment: satellite communications; 1 DSN
circuit off the Overseas Telephone System (OTS)
domestic: NA
international: NA |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 0, FM NA,
shortwave NA
note: Armed Forces Radio/Television Service (AFRTS)
radio service provided by satellite (1998) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
0 (1997) |
| Ports
and harbors: |
none; two
offshore anchorages for large ships |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
| Transportation
- note: |
formerly an
important commercial aviation base, now used by US military,
some commercial cargo planes, and for emergency landings |
| Military
- note: |
defense is the
responsibility of the US |
| Disputes
- international: |
claimed by
Marshall Islands |
|
