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Background:
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 The
US annexed Wake Island in 1899 for a cable station. An
important air and naval base was constructed in 1940-41. In
December 1941, the island was captured by the Japanese and
held until the end of World War II. In subsequent years, Wake
was developed as a stopover and refueling site for military
and commercial aircraft transiting the Pacific. Since 1974,
the island's airstrip has been used by the US military and
some commercial cargo planes, as well as for emergency
landings. There are over 700 landings a year on the island. |
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Location:
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Oceania, atoll in
the North Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from
Hawaii to the Northern Mariana Islands |
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Geographic coordinates:
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19 17 N, 166 36 E |
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Map references:
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Oceania |
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Area:
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total: 6.5
sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 6.5 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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about 11 times
the size of The Mall in Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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19.3 km |
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Climate:
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tropical |
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Terrain:
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atoll of three
coral islands built up on an underwater volcano; central
lagoon is former crater, islands are part of the rim |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 6 m |
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Natural resources:
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none |
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Land use:
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arable land:
0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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0 sq km (1998
est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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occasional
typhoons |
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Environment - current issues:
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NA |
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Geography - note:
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strategic
location in the North Pacific Ocean; emergency landing
location for transpacific flights |
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Population:
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no indigenous
inhabitants
note: US military personnel have left the island, but
contractor personnel remain; as of October 2001, 200
contractor personnel were present (July 2004 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional
long form: none
conventional short form: Wake Island |
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Dependency status:
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unincorporated
territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the
Department of the Interior; activities on the island are
managed by the US Air Force |
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Legal system:
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the laws of the
US, where applicable, apply |
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Economy - overview:
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Economic activity
is limited to providing services to contractors located on the
island. All food and manufactured goods must be imported. |
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Electricity - production:
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NA |
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Telephone system:
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general
assessment: satellite communications; 1 DSN circuit off
the Overseas Telephone System (OTS)
domestic: NA
international: NA |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 0, FM NA,
shortwave NA
note: Armed Forces Radio/Television Service (AFRTS)
radio service provided by satellite (1998) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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0 (1997) |
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Waterways:
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none |
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Ports and harbors:
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none; two
offshore anchorages for large ships |
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Airports:
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1 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2003 est.) |
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Transportation - note:
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formerly an
important commercial aviation base, now used by US military,
some commercial cargo planes, and for emergency landings |
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Military - note:
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defense is the
responsibility of the US |
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Disputes - international:
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claimed by
Marshall Islands |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
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