Palmyra Atoll

1. Palmyra Atoll Introduction

Background:
  The Kingdom of Hawaii claimed the atoll in 1862, and the US included it
  among the Hawaiian Islands when it annexed the archipelago in 1898. The
  Hawaii Statehood Act of 1959 did not include Palmyra Atoll, which is now
  privately owned by the Nature Conservancy. This organization is managing
  the atoll as a nature preserve. The lagoons and surrounding waters within
  the 12 nautical mile US territorial seas were transferred to the US Fish
  and Wildlife Service and were designated a National Wildlife Refuge in
  January 2001.

2. Palmyra Atoll Geography

Location:
  Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii
  and American Samoa

Geographic coordinates:
  5 52 N, 162 06 W

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 11.9 km
  water: 0 km
  land: 11.9 km

Area - comparative:
  about 20 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  14.5 km

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

Climate:
  equatorial, hot, and very rainy

Terrain:
  very low

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 2 m

Natural resources:
  terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

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

Irrigated land:
  0 km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  about 50 islets covered with dense vegetation, coconut trees, and balsa-
  like trees up to 30 meters tall

3. Palmyra Atoll People

Population:
  no indigenous inhabitants; 4 to 20 Nature Conservancy staff, US Fish and
  Wildlife staff (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate:
  NA

4. Palmyra Atoll Government

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Palmyra Atoll

Dependency status:
  incorporated territory of the US; privately owned, but administered from
  Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of
  the Interior

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

Flag description:
  the flag of the US is used

5. Palmyra Atoll Economy

Economy - overview:
  no economic activity

6. Palmyra Atoll Transportation

Highways:
  much of the road and many causeways built during World War II are
  unserviceable and overgrown (2001)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  West Lagoon

Airports:
  1 (2001)

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

7. Palmyra Atoll Military

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of the US

8. Palmyra Atoll Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  none
