Midway Islands

1. Midway Islands Introduction

Background:
  The US took formal possession of the islands in 1867. The laying of the
  trans-Pacific cable, which passed through the islands, brought the first
  residents in 1903. Between 1935 and 1947, Midway was used as a refueling
  stop for trans-Pacific flights. The US naval victory over a Japanese fleet
  off Midway in 1942 was one of the turning points of World War II. The
  islands continued to serve as a naval station until closed in 1993. Today
  the islands are a national wildlife refuge. From 1996 to 2001 the refuge
  was open to the public. It is now temporarily closed.

2. Midway Islands Geography

Location:
  Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-third of the way from
  Honolulu to Tokyo

Geographic coordinates:
  28 13 N, 177 22 W

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 6.2 km
  note: includes Eastern Island, Sand Island, and Spit Island
  water: 0 km
  land: 6.2 km

Area - comparative:
  about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  15 km

Maritime claims:
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  subtropical, but moderated by prevailing easterly winds

Terrain:
  low, nearly level

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 13 m

Natural resources:
  wildlife, terrestrial and aquatic

Land use:
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  0 km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  a coral atoll managed as a national wildlife refuge and open to the public
  for wildlife-related recreation in the form of wildlife observation and
  photography, sport fishing, snorkeling, and scuba diving; the refuge is
  temporarily closed for reorganization at present (2002)

3. Midway Islands People

Population:
  no indigenous inhabitants; approximately 40 people make up the staff of US
  Fish and Wildlife Service and their services cooperator living at the atoll
  (April 2002 est.)

Population growth rate:
  NA

4. Midway Islands Government

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Midway Islands

Dependency status:
  unincorporated territory of the US; formerly administered from Washington,
  DC, by the US Navy, under Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific
  Division; this facility has been operationally closed since 10 September
  1993; on 31 October 1996, through a presidential executive order, the
  jurisdiction and control of the atoll was transferred to the Fish and
  Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the
  National Wildlife Refuge system

Legal system:
  the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
  the flag of the US is used

5. Midway Islands Economy

Economy - overview:
  The economy is based on providing support services for the national
  wildlife refuge activities located on the islands. All food and
  manufactured goods must be imported.

6. Midway Islands Transportation

Highways:
  total: NA km
  paved: NA km
  unpaved: NA km

Waterways:
  none

Pipelines:
  7.8 km

Ports and harbors:
  Sand Island

Airports:
  3 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)

7. Midway Islands Military

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of the US

8. Midway Islands Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  none
