_#_Disputes: claimed by the Republic of the Marshall Islands
_#_Climate: tropical
_#_Terrain: atoll of three coral islands built up on an underwater
volcano; central lagoon is former crater, islands are part of the rim;
average elevation less than four meters
_#_Natural resources: none
_#_Land use: arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures
0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 100%
_#_Environment: subject to occasional typhoons
_#_Note: strategic location 3,700 km west of Honolulu in the North
Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way between Hawaii and the
Northern Mariana Islands; emergency landing location for transpacific
flights
_*_People
_#_Population: 195 (January 1990); no indigenous inhabitants;
302 temporary population
_#_Note: population peaked about 1970 with over 1,600 persons during
the Vietnam conflict
_*_Government
_#_Long-form name: none
_#_Type: unincorporated territory of the US administered by the US Air
Force (under an agreement with the US Department of Interior) since
24 June 1972
_#_Flag: the US flag is used
_*_Economy
_#_Overview: Economic activity is limited to providing services to US
military personnel and contractors located on the island. All food and
manufactured goods must be imported.
_#_Electricity: supplied by US military
_*_Communications
_#_Ports: none; because of the reefs, there are only two offshore
anchorages for large ships
_#_Airports: 1 with permanent-surface runways 2,440 to 3,659 m
_#_Telecommunications: underwater cables to Guam and through Midway
to Honolulu; AFRTS radio and television service provided by satellite;
stations--1 AM, no FM, no TV
_#_Note: formerly an important commercial aviation base, now used only
by US military and some commercial cargo planes
_*_Defense Forces
_#_Note: defense is the responsibility of the US
_%_
_@_Wallis and Futuna
(overseas territory of France)
_*_Geography
_#_Total area: 274 km2; land area: 274 km2; includes Ile Uvea
(Wallis Island), Ile Futuna (Futuna Island), Ile Alofi, and 20
islets
_#_Comparative area: slightly larger than Washington, DC
_#_Land boundaries: none
_#_Coastline: 129 km
_#_Maritime claims:
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;