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Location:
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Oceania, group of atolls and reefs in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia
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Geographic coordinates:
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9 00 N, 168 00 E
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Map references:
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Oceania
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Area:
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total: 181.3 sq km
note: includes the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak, Kwajalein, Majuro, Rongelap, and Utirik
water: 0 sq km
land: 181.3 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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about the size of Washington, DC
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Land boundaries:
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0 km
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Coastline:
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370.4 km
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Maritime claims:
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contiguous zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
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Climate:
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wet season from May to November; hot and humid; islands border typhoon belt
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Terrain:
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low coral limestone and sand islands
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Likiep 10 m
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Natural resources:
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coconut products, marine products, deep seabed minerals
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Land use:
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arable land: 16.67%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 83.33% (1998 est.)
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Irrigated land:
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0 sq km
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Natural hazards:
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infrequent typhoons
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Environment - current issues:
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inadequate supplies of potable water; pollution of Majuro lagoon from household waste and discharges from fishing vessels
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
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Geography - note:
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two archipelagic island chains of 30 atolls and 1,152 islands; Bikini and Enewetak are former US nuclear test sites; Kwajalein, the famous World War II battleground, is now used as a US missile test range
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