countries/MQ

Midway Islands

territoryFIPS: MQ|Edition: 1999|34 fields

ECONOMY(1 fields)

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.

GEOGRAPHY(18 fields)

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

Climate

subtropical, but moderated by prevailing easterly winds

Coastline

15 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 4 m

Environment--current issues

NA

Environment--international agreements

party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA

Geographic coordinates

28 13 N, 177 22 W

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

Irrigated land

0 sq km (1998)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100%

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

NA

Natural resources

wildlife, terrestrial and aquatic

Terrain

low, nearly level

GOVERNMENT(6 fields)

Capital

none; administered from Washington, DC

Country name

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Midway Islands

Data code

MQ

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

Flag description

the flag of the US is used

Legal system

NA

MILITARY(1 fields)

Military--note

defense is the responsibility of the US

PEOPLE(1 fields)

Population

no indigenous inhabitants

TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES(1 fields)

Disputes--international

none

TRANSPORTATION(6 fields)

Airports

3 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways

total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways

total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Highways

total: 32 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Pipelines

7.8 km

Ports and harbors

Sand Island