GEOGRAPHY
Location:
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half
of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Geographic coordinates:
21 14 S, 159 46 W
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total: 240 sq km
land: 240 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area—comparative:
1.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline: 120 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental
margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical;
moderated by trade winds
Terrain: low coral
atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Te Manga 652 m
Natural resources:
NEGL
Land use:
arable land: 9%
permanent crops: 13%
permanent pastures: NA%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: 78% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA
sq km
Natural hazards:
typhoons (November to March)
Environment—current
issues: NA
Environment—international
agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertication,
Law of the Sea
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
