ARCHIVE // UM // 2002

Palmyra Atoll

2002 Edition — territory

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Economy
Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]
no economic activity
Geography
Area [time series]
total: 11.9 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 11.9 sq km
Area - comparative [time series]
about 20 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Climate [time series]
equatorial, hot, and very rainy
Coastline [time series]
14.5 km
Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 2 m
Environment - current issues [time series]
NA
Geographic coordinates [time series]
5 52 N, 162 06 W
Geography - note [time series]
about 50 islets covered with dense vegetation, coconut trees, and balsa-like trees up to 30 meters tall
Irrigated land [time series]
0 sq km (1998 est.)
Land boundaries [time series]
0 km
Land use [time series]
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (forests and woodlands) (1998 est.)
Location [time series]
Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and American Samoa
Map references [time series]
Oceania
Maritime claims [time series]
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Natural hazards [time series]
NA
Natural resources [time series]
terrestrial and aquatic wildlife
Terrain [time series]
very low
Government
Country name [time series]
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Palmyra Atoll
Dependency status [time series]
incorporated territory of the US; privately owned, but administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior
Flag (Flag description) [time series]
the flag of the US is used
Legal system [time series]
the laws of the US, where applicable, apply
Introduction
Background [time series]
The Kingdom of Hawaii claimed the atoll in 1862, and the US included it among the Hawaiian Islands when it annexed the archipelago in 1898. The Hawaii Statehood Act of 1959 did not include Palmyra Atoll, which is now privately owned by the Nature Conservancy. This organization is managing the atoll as a nature preserve. The lagoons and surrounding waters within the 12 nautical mile US territorial seas were transferred to the US Fish and Wildlife Service and were designated a National Wildlife Refuge in January 2001.
Military
Military - note [time series]
defense is the responsibility of the US
People
Population [time series]
no indigenous inhabitants; 4 to 20 Nature Conservancy staff, US Fish and Wildlife staff (July 2002 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international [time series]
none
Transportation
Airports [time series]
1 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]
total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
Roadways (Highways) [time series]
much of the road and many causeways built during World War II are unserviceable and overgrown (2001)
Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]
West Lagoon
Waterways [time series]
none