Country List | World Factbook Home
The World Factbook 2002
| Kingman Reef |

Introduction | Kingman Reef

Background: | The US annexed the reef in 1922. Its sheltered lagoon served as a way station for flying boats on Hawaii-to-American Samoa flights during the late 1930s. There is no flora on the reef, which is frequently awash, but it does support an abundant and diverse marine fauna. In 2001, the waters surrounding the reef were designated a National Wildlife Refuge.

Geography | Kingman Reef

Location: | Oceania, reef in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and American Samoa
Geographic coordinates: | 6 24 N, 162 24 W
Map references: | Oceania
Area: | total: 1 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 1 sq km
Area - comparative: | about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: | 0 km
Coastline: | 3 km
Maritime claims: | exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate: | tropical, but moderated by prevailing winds
Terrain: | low and nearly level
Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 1 m
Natural resources: | terrestrial and aquatic wildlife
Land use: | arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: | 0 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: | wet or awash most of the time, maximum elevation of about 1 meter makes Kingman Reef a maritime hazard
Environment - current issues: | none
Geography - note: | barren coral atoll with deep interior lagoon; closed to the public

People | Kingman Reef

Population: | uninhabited (July 2002 est.)
Population growth rate: | NA

Government | Kingman Reef

Country name: | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Kingman Reef
Dependency status: | unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the US Fish and Wildlife Service of the Department of the Interior note: on 1 September 2000, the Department of the Interior accepted restoration of its administrative jurisdiction over Kingman Reef from the Department of the Navy; Executive Order 3223 signed 18 January 2001 established Kingman Reef National Wildlife Refuge to be administered by the Director, US Fish and Wildlife Service; this refuge is managed to protect the terrestrial and aquatic wildlife of Kingman Reef out to the 12-nautical-mile territorial sea limit
Legal system: | the laws of the US, where applicable, apply
Flag description: | the flag of the US is used

Economy | Kingman Reef

Economy - overview: | no economic activity

Transportation | Kingman Reef

Waterways: | none
Ports and harbors: | none; offshore anchorage only
Airports: | lagoon was used as a halfway station between Hawaii and American Samoa by Pan American Airways for flying boats in 1937 and 1938

Military | Kingman Reef

Military - note: | defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues | Kingman Reef

Disputes - international: | none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002