Johnston Atoll
none conventional short form: Johnston Atoll
Johnston Atoll as the 2001 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 37 fields, one of 24 editions from 1990 to 2020.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
Both the US and the Kingdom of Hawaii annexed Johnston Atoll in 1858, but it was the US that mined the guano deposits until the late 1880s. The US Navy took over the atoll in 1934, and subsequently the US Air Force assumed control in 1948. The site was used for high altitude nuclear tests in the 1950s and 1960s, and until late in 2000 the atoll was maintained as a storage and disposal site for chemical weapons. Munitions destruction is now complete, and cleanup and closure of the facility is progressing.
Geography
Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 717 NM (1328 km) southwest of Honolulu, Hawaii, about one-third of the way from Hawaii to the Marshall Islands
17 fieldsLocation
Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 717 NM (1328 km) southwest of Honolulu, Hawaii, about one-third of the way from Hawaii to the Marshall Islands
Climate
tropical, but generally dry; consistent northeast trade winds with little seasonal temperature variation
Land use
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100%
Geography - note
- strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean;
- Johnston Island and Sand Island are natural islands, which have been expanded by coral dredging;
- North Island (Akau) and East Island (Hikina) are manmade islands formed from coral dredging;
- egg-shaped reef is 34 km in circumference;
- closed to the public;
- former US nuclear weapons test site;
- site of Johnston Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal System (JACADS);
- some low-growing vegetation
People
2 fieldsPopulation
- no indigenous inhabitants note:
- in previous years, there was an average of 1,100 US military and civilian contractor personnel present;
- as of 1 October 2000, population decreased to approximately 970 when US Army Chemical Activity Pacific (USACAP) departed (January 2001 est.)
Government
4 fieldsDependency status
unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by Pacific Air Forces, Hickam AFB, and the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system
Economy
Economic activity is limited to providing services to US military personnel and contractors located on the island.
3 fieldsEconomy - overview
Economic activity is limited to providing services to US military personnel and contractors located on the island. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.
Electricity - production
approximately 1,000,000 kWh weekly; note - there are six 25,000 kWh generators supplied by the base operating support contractor (1999)
Communications
4 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- 13 outgoing and 10 incoming commercial lines;
- adequate telecommunications domestic: 60-channel submarine cable, 22 DSN circuits by satellite, Autodin with standard remote terminal, digital telephone switch, Military Affiliated Radio System (MARS station), UHF/VHF air-ground radio, a link to the Pacific Consolidated Telecommunications Network (PCTN) satellite international: NA
Transportation
4 fieldsMilitary
1 fieldTransnational Issues
1 fieldCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Johnston Atoll.” The World Factbook 2001. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/johnston-atoll/2001.