44,280 telephones; broadcast stations - 4 AM, 8 FM, 4 TV; modern system
using fiber-optic cable, submarine cable, microwave radio, and satellite
facilities; 98,000 radios; 63,000 TV (1988)

:Virgin Islands Defense Forces

Note:
defense is the responsibility of the US

:Wake Island Geography

Total area:
6.5 km2
Land area:
6.5 km2
Comparative area:
about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
none
Coastline:
19.3 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone:
12 nm
Continental shelf:
200 m (depth)
Exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
Territorial sea:
12 nm
Disputes:
claimed by the Republic of the Marshall Islands
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; average elevation less
than four meters
Natural resources:
none
Land use:
arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and
woodland 0%; other 100%
Environment:
subject to occasional typhoons
Note:
strategic location 3,700 km west of Honolulu in the North Pacific Ocean,
about two-thirds of the way between Hawaii and the Northern Mariana Islands;
emergency landing location for transpacific flights

:Wake Island People

Population:
no indigenous inhabitants; 381 temporary population (US Air Force personnel,
civilian weather service personnel, and US and Thai contractors) (January
1992); note - population peaked about 1970 with over 1,600 persons during
the Vietnam conflict

:Wake Island Government

Long-form name:
none
Type:
unincorporated territory of the US administered by the US Air Force (under
an agreement with the US Department of Interior) since 24 June 1972
Capital:
none; administered from Washington, DC
Flag:
the US flag is used

:Wake Island Economy

Overview:
Economic activity is limited to providing services to US military personnel
and contractors located on the island. All food and manufactured goods must
be imported.
Electricity:
supplied by US military

:Wake Island Communications

Ports:
none; because of the reefs, there are only two offshore anchorages for large
ships
Airports:
1 with permanent-surface runways 2,440-3,659 m
Telecommunications:
underwater cables to Guam and through Midway to Honol