Wake Island

Wake Island as the 2000 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 33 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.

Position19 17 N, 166 36 E
Area6.5 sq km
LocationOceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to the Northern Mariana Islands
Populationas each edition published it
2,000 people July 2000 est. · 195 in 1990
Population growth% a year
Not in this edition 0% in 1995

Geography

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

17 fields

Land useshare of 6.5 sq km

forests and woodland 0%other 100%arable land 0% in all · permanent crops 0% in all · permanent pastures 0% in all · irrigated 0 sq km (1998)
Area
6.5sq km
land: 6.5 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmabout 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Coastline
19.3km
land boundaries: 0 kmexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm
Highest point
6m
unnamed locationlowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

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 36 E

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

Natural hazards

occasional typhoons

Geography - note

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

People

1 field

Population

no indigenous inhabitants note: US military personnel have left the island, but some civilian personnel remain (July 2000 est.)

Government

4 fields

Country name

conventional long form:
none
conventional short form:
Wake Island

Dependency status

  • unincorporated territory of the US;
  • administered from Washington, DC by the Department of the Interior;
  • occasional activities on the island are managed by the US Army under a US Air Force contract

Flag description

the flag of the US is used

Economy

Economic activity is limited to providing services to contractors located on the island.

2 fields

Economy - overview

Economic activity is limited to providing services to contractors located on the island. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.

Communications

3 fields

Telephone system

satellite communications; 1 DSN circuit off the Overseas Telephone System (OTS)

domestic:
NA
international:
NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM 0, FM NA, shortwave NA note: Armed Forces Radio/Television Service (AFRTS) radio service provided by satellite (1998)

Transportation

4 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

2,438 to 3,047 m
1

Ports and harbors

none; two offshore anchorages for large ships

Airports

1 (1999 est.)

Transportation - note

formerly an important commercial aviation base, now occasionally used by US military, some commercial cargo planes, and for emergency landings

Military

1 field

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues

1 field

Disputes - international

claimed by Marshall Islands [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]

Cite this entry

Central Intelligence Agency. “Wake Island.” The World Factbook 2000. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/wake-island/2000.