| Location: |
Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway from Australia to Sri Lanka |
| Geographic coordinates: |
12 30 S, 96 50 E |
| Map references: |
Southeast Asia |
| Area: |
total: 14 sq km
land: 14 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island |
| Area - comparative: |
about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC |
| Land boundaries: |
0 km |
| Coastline: |
26 km |
| Maritime claims: |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
| Climate: |
tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year |
| Terrain: |
flat, low-lying coral atolls |
| Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m |
| Natural resources: |
fish |
| Land use: |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: |
NA |
| Natural hazards: |
cyclone season is October to April |
| Environment - current issues: |
fresh water resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs |
| Geography - note: |
islands are thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation |
