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.

Geography Kingman Reef

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

Geographic coordinates:
6 24 N, 162 24 W

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 1 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 1 sq km

Area - comparative:
about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
3 km

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

Climate:
tropical; moderated by prevailing winds

Terrain:
low and nearly level

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 1 m

Natural resources:
terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
wet or awash most of the time, maximum elevation of about 1 meter
makes Kingman Reef a maritime hazard

Environment - current issues:
none

Geography - note:
barren coral atoll with deep interior lagoon; closed to the public

People Kingman Reef

Population:
uninhabited (July 2004 est.)

Government Kingman Reef

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Kingman Reef

Dependency status:
unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington,
DC, by the US Fish and Wildlife Service of the Department of the
Interior
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:
the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
the flag of the US is used

Economy Kingman Reef

Economy - overview:
no economic activity

Transportation Kingman Reef

Ports and harbors:
none; offshore anchorage only

Airports:
lagoon was used as a halfway station