ARCHIVE // UM // 2005

Kingman Reef

2005 Edition — territory

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Economy
Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]
no economic activity
Geography
Area [time series]
total: 1 sq km land: 1 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative [time series]
about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Climate [time series]
tropical; moderated by prevailing winds
Coastline [time series]
3 km
Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 1 m
Environment - current issues [time series]
none
Geographic coordinates [time series]
6 24 N, 162 24 W
Geography - note [time series]
barren coral atoll with deep interior lagoon; closed to the public
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% (2001)
Location [time series]
Oceania, reef in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and American Samoa
Map references [time series]
Oceania
Maritime claims [time series]
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Natural hazards [time series]
wet or awash most of the time, maximum elevation of about 1 meter makes Kingman Reef a maritime hazard
Natural resources [time series]
terrestrial and aquatic wildlife
Terrain [time series]
low and nearly level
Government
Country name [time series]
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Kingman Reef
Dependency status [time series]
unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the US Fish and Wildlife Service of the Department of the Interior note: on 1 September 2000, the Department of the Interior accepted restoration of its administrative jurisdiction over Kingman Reef from the Department of the Navy; Executive Order 3223 signed 18 January 2001 established Kingman Reef National Wildlife Refuge to be administered by the Director, US Fish and Wildlife Service; this refuge is managed to protect the terrestrial and aquatic wildlife of Kingman Reef out to the 12-nautical-mile territorial sea limit
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 US annexed the reef in 1922. Its sheltered lagoon served as a way station for flying boats on Hawaii-to-American Samoa flights during the late 1930s. There are no terrestrial plants on the reef, which is frequently awash, but it does support abundant and diverse marine fauna and flora. In 2001, the waters surrounding the reef out to 12 nm were designated a US National Wildlife Refuge.
Military
Military - note [time series]
defense is the responsibility of the US
People
Population [time series]
uninhabited (July 2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international [time series]
none
Transportation
Airports [time series]
lagoon was used as a halfway station between Hawaii and American Samoa by Pan American Airways for flying boats in 1937 and 1938 (2004 est.)
Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]
none; offshore anchorage only