| Location: |
Oceania, island group in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
|
| Geographic coordinates: |
18 00 S, 175 00 E
|
| Area: |
total:
18,270 sq km
land:
18,270 sq km
water:
0 sq km
|
| Area - comparative: |
slightly smaller than New Jersey
|
| Maritime claims: |
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation; rectilinear shelf claim added
exclusive economic zone:
200 NM
territorial sea:
12 NM
|
| Climate: |
tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation
|
| Terrain: |
mostly mountains of volcanic origin
|
| Elevation extremes: |
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Tomanivi 1,324 m
|
| Natural resources: |
timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil potential, hydropower
|
| Land use: |
arable land:
10%
permanent crops:
4%
permanent pastures:
10%
forests and woodland:
65%
other:
11% (1993 est.)
|
| Irrigated land: |
10 sq km (1993 est.)
|
| Natural hazards: |
cyclonic storms can occur from November to January
|
| Environment - current issues: |
deforestation; soil erosion
|
| Environment - international agreements: |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
|
| Geography - note: |
includes 332 islands of which approximately 110 are inhabited
|
|
