Wake Island

unincorporated territory of the US administered by the US Air Force (underIndependence none (territory of the US)

Wake Island as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 28 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

Capitalnone
Area6.5 km2
Locationin the North Pacific Ocean, 3,700 km west of Honolulu, about two-thirds of
1993

Every edition of Wake Island

Populationas each edition published it
302 people 195 in 1990
Population growth% a year
Not in this edition 0% in 1995

Geography

In the North Pacific Ocean, 3,700 km west of Honolulu, about two-thirds of | the way between Hawaii and the Northern Mariana Islands

14 fields

Land useshare of 6.5 km2

forest and woodland 0%other 100%arable land 0% in all · permanent crops 0% in all · meadows and pastures 0% in all · irrigated 0 km2
Area
6.5km2
land area: 6.5 km2 comparative area: about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Coastline
19.3km
land boundaries: 0 kmcontiguous zone: 24 nmcontinental shelf: 200 m or depth of exploitationexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Location

in the North Pacific Ocean, 3,700 km west of Honolulu, about two-thirds of the way between Hawaii and the Northern Mariana Islands

International disputes

claimed by the Republic of the Marshall Islands

Climate

tropical

Terrain

  • atoll of three coral islands built up on an underwater volcano;
  • central lagoon is former crater, islands are part of the rim;
  • average elevation less than 4 meters

Environment

subject to occasional typhoons

Note

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

People

1 field

Population

  • no indigenous inhabitants;
  • note - there are 302 US Air Force personnel, civilian weather service personnel, and US and Thai contractors;
  • population peaked about 1970 with over 1,600 persons during the Vietnam conflict

Government

Unincorporated territory of the US administered by the US Air Force (under

6 fields

Names

conventional long form:
none
conventional short form:
Wake Island

Type

unincorporated territory of the US administered by the US Air Force (under an agreement with the US Department of Interior) since 24 June 1972

Capital

none; administered from Washington, DC

Independence

none (territory of the US)

Flag

the US flag is used

Economy

Economic activity is limited to providing services to US military personnel | and contractors located on the island.

2 fields

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

supplied by US military

Communications

4 fields

Ports

none; because of the reefs, there are only two offshore anchorages for large ships

Airports

total:
1
usable:
1
with permanent-surface runways:
1
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
1
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
0

Telecommunications

  • underwater cables to Guam and through Midway to Honolulu;
  • 1 Autovon circuit off the Overseas Telephone System (OTS);
  • Armed Forces Radio/Television Service (AFRTS) radio and television service provided by satellite;
  • broadcast stations - 1 AM, no FM, no TV

Note

formerly an important commercial aviation base, now used only by US military and some commercial cargo planes

Defense Forces

1 field

Affiliation

(overseas territory of France)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Wake Island.” The World Factbook 1993. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/wake-island/1993.

How to cite ← 1992 edition 1994 edition →