Wake Island Geography Profile 2007

Location

Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to the Northern Mariana Islands

Geographic coordinates

19 17 N, 166 39 E

Map references

Oceania

Area

total: 6.5 sq km
land: 6.5 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

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

Land boundaries

0 km

Coastline

19.3 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate

tropical

Terrain

atoll of three low coral islands, Peale, Wake, and Wilkes, built up on an underwater volcano; central lagoon is former crater, islands are part of the rim

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 6 m

Natural resources

none

Land use

arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land

0 sq km

Natural hazards

occasional typhoons

Environment - current issues

NA

Geography - note

strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean; emergency landing location for transpacific flights