CIA World Fact Book, 2004/Kingman Reef


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!| Background:
 * The US annexed the reef in 1922. Its sheltered lagoon served as a way station for flying boats on Hawaii-to-American Samoa flights during the late 1930s. There are no terrestrial plants on the reef, which is frequently awash, but it does support abundant and diverse marine fauna and flora. In 2001, the waters surrounding the reef out to 12 nm around the reef were designated a US National Wildlife Refuge.
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!| Location: !| Geographic coordinates: !| Map references: !| Area: water: 0 sq km land: 1 sq km !| Area - comparative: !| Land boundaries: !| Coastline: !| Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm !| Climate: !| Terrain: !| Elevation extremes: highest point: unnamed location 1 m !| Natural resources: !| Land use: permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001) !| Irrigated land: !| Natural hazards: !| Environment - current issues: !| Geography - note:
 * Oceania, reef in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and American Samoa
 * 6 24 N, 162 24 W
 * Oceania
 * total: 1 sq km
 * about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
 * 0 km
 * 3 km
 * territorial sea: 12 nm
 * tropical; moderated by prevailing winds
 * low and nearly level
 * lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
 * terrestrial and aquatic wildlife
 * arable land: 0%
 * 0 sq km (1998 est.)
 * wet or awash most of the time, maximum elevation of about 1 meter makes Kingman Reef a maritime hazard
 * none
 * barren coral atoll with deep interior lagoon; closed to the public
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!| Population:
 * uninhabited (July 2004 est.)
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!| Country name: conventional short form: Kingman Reef !| Dependency status: note: on 1 September 2000, the Department of the Interior accepted restoration of its administrative jurisdiction over Kingman Reef from the Department of the Navy; Executive Order 3223 signed 18 January 2001 established Kingman Reef National Wildlife Refuge to be administered by the Director, US Fish and Wildlife Service; this refuge is managed to protect the terrestrial and aquatic wildlife of Kingman Reef out to the 12-nautical-mile territorial sea limit !| Legal system: !| Flag description:
 * conventional long form: none
 * unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the US Fish and Wildlife Service of the Department of the Interior
 * the laws of the US, where applicable, apply
 * the flag of the US is used
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!| Economy - overview:
 * no economic activity
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!| Ports and harbors: !| Airports:
 * none; offshore anchorage only
 * lagoon was used as a halfway station between Hawaii and American Samoa by Pan American Airways for flying boats in 1937 and 1938 (2003 est.)
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!| Military - note:
 * defense is the responsibility of the US
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