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Communications

Airports [time series]

1 abandoned World War II runway of 1,665 m

Note [time series]

there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast

Ports [time series]

none; offshore anchorage only, one boat landing area along the the middle of the west coast

Defense Forces

Note [time series]

defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US Coast Guard

Economy

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

no economic activity

Geography

Climate [time series]

equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun

Coastline [time series]

4.8 km

Area - comparative (Comparative area) [time series]

about 2.3 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Contiguous zone [time series]

12 nm;

Continental shelf [time series]

200 m;

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

treeless, sparse and scattered vegetation consisting of grasses, prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; lacks fresh water; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife

Extended economic zone [time series]

200 nm;

Land boundaries [time series]

none

Land use [time series]

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

Natural resources [time series]

guano (deposits worked until 1891)

Note [time series]

remote location 2,575 km southwest of Honolulu in the North Pacific Ocean, just north of the Equator, about halfway between Hawaii and Australia

Terrain [time series]

low, nearly level coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef

Maritime claims (Territorial sea) [time series]

12 nm

Area (Total area) [time series]

1.4 km2; land area: 1.4 km2

Government

Country name (Long-form name) [time series]

none

Government type (Type) [time series]

unincorporated territory of the US administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system

People

Note [time series]

American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by special-use permit only and generally restricted to scientists and educators; a cemetery and cemetery ruins located near the middle of the west coast

Population [time series]

uninhabited

Baker Island