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:
Area - comparative: Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline: Maritime claims:
Climate: Terrain: Elevation extremes:
Natural resources: Land use:
Irrigated land: Natural hazards: Environment - current issues: Geography - note:
total:
12 sq km
country comparison to the world: 242
land:
12 sq km
water:
0 sq km
about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]
101 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]
territorial sea:
12 nm
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November)
low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point:
unnamed location 5 m
NEGL
arable land:
0% (soil is thin and infertile)
permanent crops:
60%
other:
40% (2011)
NA
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]
lies in Pacific typhoon belt
limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing to emigration to New Zealand
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