Wake Island

§1. Wake Island Introduction

Background:
  The US annexed Wake Island in 1899 for a cable station. An important air
  and naval base was constructed in 1940-41. In December 1941, the island was
  captured by the Japanese and held until the end of World War II. In
  subsequent years, Wake was developed as a stopover and refueling site for
  military and commercial aircraft transiting the Pacific. Since 1974, the
  island's airstrip has been used by the US military, as well as for
  emergency landings. Currently, access to the atoll is restricted to
  official government business.

§2. Wake Island Geography

Location:
  Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from
  Hawaii to the Northern Mariana Islands

Geographic coordinates:
  19 17 N, 166 39 E

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 6.5 kmē
  land: 6.5 kmē
  water: 0 kmē

Area - comparative:
  about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  19.3 km

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

Climate:
  tropical

Terrain:
  atoll of three low coral islands, Peale, Wake, and Wilkes, built up on an
  underwater volcano; central lagoon is former crater, islands are part of
  the rim

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 6 m

Natural resources:
  none

Land use:
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land:
  0 kmē (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  occasional typhoons

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean; emergency landing location
  for transpacific flights

§3. Wake Island People

Population:
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: US military personnel have left the island, but contractor personnel
    remain; as of October 2001, 200 contractor personnel were present (July
    2006 est.)

§4. Wake Island Government

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Wake Island

Dependency status:
  unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by
  the Department of the Interior; activities on the island are conducted by
  the US Air Force

Legal system:
  the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
  the flag of the US is used

§5. Wake Island Economy

Economy - overview:
  Economic activity is limited to providing services to military personnel
  and contractors located on the island. All food and manufactured goods must
  be imported.

Electricity - production:
  NA kWh

§6. Wake Island Communications

Telephone system:
  general assessment: satellite communications; 1 DSN circuit off the
    Overseas Telephone System (OTS)
  domestic: NA
  international: NA

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 0, FM 0, shortwave 0
  note: Armed Forces Radio/Television Service (AFRTS) radio service provided
    by satellite (2005)

Television broadcast stations:
  0
  note: Armed Forces Radio/Television Service (AFRTS) radio service provided
    by satellite (2005)

§7. Wake Island Transportation

Airports:
  1 (2005)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2005)

Ports and terminals:
  none; two offshore anchorages for large ships

Transportation - note:
  there are no commercial or civilian flights to and from Wake Island, except
  in direct support of island missions; emergency landing is available

§8. Wake Island Military

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of the US; launch support facility is part of
  the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site (RTS) administered by
  US Army Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC)

§9. Wake Island Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  claimed by Marshall Islands


<Factbook 2006>
