f of
the way from Hawaii to American Samoa

Geographic coordinates: 6 24 N, 162 24 W

Map references: Oceania

Area:
total: 1 sq km
land: 1 sq km
water: 0 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:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical, but 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: none

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100%

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1996)

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

@Kingman Reef:People

Population: uninhabited (July 2000 est.)

@Kingman Reef:Government

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

Data code: KQ

Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; administered
from Washington, DC by the US Navy; however, it is awash the majority
of the time, so it is not usable and is uninhabited

Flag description: the flag of the US is used

@Kingman Reef:Economy

Economy - overview: no economic activity

@Kingman Reef:Transportation

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Airports: lagoon was used as a halfway station between Hawaii and
American Samoa by Pan American Airways for flying boats in 1937 and
1938

@Kingman Reef:Military

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

@Kingman Reef:Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

______________________________________________________________________

KIRIBATI

@Kiribati:Introduction

Background: The Gilbert Islands were granted self-rule by the UK in
1971 and complete independence in 1979 under the new name of Kiribati.
The US relinquished all claims to the sparsely inhabited Phoenix and
Line Island groups in a 1979 treaty of friendship with Kiribati.

@Kiribati:Geography

Location: Oceania, group of islands in the Pacific Ocean, straddling
the equator, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia; note
- on 1 January 1995, Kiribati unilaterally moved the Internati