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Kingman Reef
(territory of the US)
Geography
People
Government
Economy
Transportation
Military
Transnational Issues

### 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

People

Population: uninhabited

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

Economy

Economy—overview: no economic activity

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

Military

Military—note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues

Disputes—international: none

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