SELECT EDITION
CATEGORIES
◆ COMMUNICATIONS(3 fields)
Radio broadcast stations
AM 0, FM NA, shortwave NA note: Armed Forces Radio/Television Service (AFRTS) radio service provided by satellite (1998)
Telephone system
general assessment: satellite communications; 1 DSN circuit off the Overseas Telephone System (OTS) domestic: NA international: NA
Television broadcast stations
0 (1997)
◆ ECONOMY(2 fields)
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
◆ GEOGRAPHY(17 fields)
Area
total: 6.5 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 6.5 sq km
Area - comparative
about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Climate
tropical
Coastline
19.3 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 6 m
Environment - current issues
NA
Geographic coordinates
19 17 N, 166 36 E
Geography - note
strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean; emergency landing location for transpacific flights
Irrigated land
0 sq km (1998 est.)
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)
Location
Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to the Northern Mariana Islands
Map references
Oceania
Maritime claims
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Natural hazards
occasional typhoons
Natural resources
none
Terrain
atoll of three coral islands built up on an underwater volcano; central lagoon is former crater, islands are part of the rim
◆ GOVERNMENT(4 fields)
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 Air Force
Flag description
the flag of the US is used
Legal system
the laws of the US, where applicable, apply
◆ INTRODUCTION(1 fields)
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.
◆ MILITARY(1 fields)
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of the US
◆ PEOPLE(1 fields)
Population
no indigenous inhabitants note: US military personnel have left the island, but contractor personnel remain; as of October 2001, 200 contractor personnel were present (January 2003)
◆ TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES(1 fields)
Disputes - international
claimed by Marshall Islands
◆ TRANSPORTATION(5 fields)
Airports
1 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways
total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
Ports and harbors
none; two offshore anchorages for large ships
Transportation - note
formerly an important commercial aviation base, now used by US military, some commercial cargo planes, and for emergency landings
Waterways
none