Wake Island

Airports

1 with permanent-surface runways 2,987 m

Note

formerly an important commercial aviation base, now used only by US military and some commercial cargo planes

Ports

none; because of the reefs, there are only two offshore anchorages for large ships

Telecommunications

underwater cables to Guam and through Midway to Honolulu; AFRTS radio and television service provided by satellite; stations--1 AM, no FM, no TV

Note

defense is the responsibility of the US

Overview

Economic activity is limited to providing services to US military personnel and contractors located on the island. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.

Climate

tropical

Coastline

19.3 km

Comparative area

about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Contiguous zone

12 nm;

Continental shelf

200 m;

Disputes

claimed by the Republic of the Marshall Islands

Environment

subject to occasional typhoons

Extended economic zone

200 nm;

Land boundaries

none

Land use

0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 100% other

Natural resources

none

Note

strategic location 3,700 km west of Honolulu in the North Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way between Hawaii and the Northern Mariana Islands; emergency landing location for transpacific flights

Terrain

atoll of three coral islands built up on an underwater volcano; central lagoon is former crater, islands are part of the rim; average elevation less than four meters

Territorial sea

12 nm

Total area

6.5 km2; land area: 6.5 km2

Flag

the US flag is used

Long-form name

none

Type

unincorporated territory of the US administered by the US Air Force (under an agreement with the US Department of Interior) since 24 June 1972

Note

population peaked about 1970 with over 1,600 persons during the Vietnam conflict

Population

195 (January 1990); no indigenous inhabitants; temporary population consists of 11 US Air Force personnel, 27 US civilians, and 151 Thai contractors