Kingman Reef

(territory of the US)

@Kingman Reef:Geography

Location: Oceania, reef in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half 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

Environment-international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA

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

@Kingman Reef:People

Population: uninhabited

@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

National capital: none; administered from Washington, DC

Legal system: NA

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