Chapter 189
Palmyra Atoll
(territory of the US)
@Palmyra Atoll:Geography
Location: Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to American Samoa
Geographic coordinates: 5 52 N, 162 06 W
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 11.9 sq km land: 11.9 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative: about 20 times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 14.5 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: equatorial, hot, and very rainy
Terrain: very low
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 2 m
Natural resources: none
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 100% other: 0%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment-current issues: NA
Environment-international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography-note: about 50 islets covered with dense vegetation, coconut trees, and balsa-like trees up to 30 meters tall
@Palmyra Atoll:People
Population: uninhabited
@Palmyra Atoll:Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Palmyra Atoll
Data code: LQ
Dependency status: incorporated territory of the US; privately owned, but administered from Washington, DC by the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior
Legal system: NA
Flag description: the flag of the US is used
@Palmyra Atoll:Economy
Economy-overview: no economic activity
@Palmyra Atoll:Transportation
Highways: much of the road and many causeways built during World War
II are unserviceable and overgrown
Ports and harbors: West Lagoon
Airports: airstrip has been overgrown by vegetation and is no longer serviceable
Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1997 est.)
@Palmyra Atoll:Military
Military-note: defense is the responsibility of the US
@Palmyra Atoll:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none