| Location: |
Oceania, group of three atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand |
| Geographic coordinates: |
9 00 S, 172 00 W |
| Map references: |
Oceania |
| Area: |
total: 10 sq km
land: 10 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
| Area - comparative: |
about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC |
| Land boundaries: |
0 km |
| Coastline: |
101 km |
| Maritime claims: |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
| Climate: |
tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November) |
| Terrain: |
low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons |
| Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m |
| Natural resources: |
NEGL |
| Land use: |
arable land: 0% (soil is thin and infertile)
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: |
NA |
| Natural hazards: |
lies in Pacific typhoon belt |
| Environment - current issues: |
limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing to emigration to New Zealand |
| Geography - note: |
consists of three atolls (Atafu, Fakaofo, Nukunonu), each with a lagoon surrounded by a number of reef-bound islets of varying length and rising to over 3 m above sea level |
