Wake Island

1. Wake Island Introduction

Background:
  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.

2. Wake Island Geography

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

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 6.5 km
  water: 0 km
  land: 6.5 km

Area - comparative:
  about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  19.3 km

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

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

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 6 m

Natural resources:
  none

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

Irrigated land:
  0 km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  occasional typhoons

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean; emergency landing location
  for transpacific flights

3. Wake Island People

Population:
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: US military personnel have left the island, but civilian personnel
    remain; as of December 2000, one US Army civilian and 123 contractor
    personnel were present (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ AIDS:
  NA

4. Wake Island Government

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; activities on the island are managed by the
  US Army under a US Air Force permit

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

Flag description:
  the flag of the US is used

5. Wake Island Economy

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

Electricity - production:
  NA kWh

6. Wake Island Communications

Telephone system:
  general assessment: 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)

Television broadcast stations:
  0 (1997)

7. Wake Island Transportation

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  none; two offshore anchorages for large ships

Airports:
  1 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2001)

Transportation - note:
  formerly an important commercial aviation base, now used by US military,
  some commercial cargo planes, and for emergency landings

8. Wake Island Military

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of the US

9. Wake Island Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  claimed by Marshall Islands
