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Palmyra Atoll
(territory of the US)
Geography
People
Government
Economy
Transportation
Military
Transnational Issues

### 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

People

Population: uninhabited

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

Economy

Economy—overview: no economic activity

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.)

Military

Military—note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues

Disputes—international: none

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