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
water: 0 sq km
land: 10 sq km
Area - comparative:
about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
101 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 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% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Natural hazards:
lies in Pacific typhoon belt
Environment - current issues:
very limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing to
emigration to New Zealand
Geography - note:
consists of three atolls, each with a lagoon surrounded by a number
of reef-bound islets of varying length and rising to over three
meters above sea level