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| Location: |
Oceania, group of three islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
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| Geographic coordinates: |
9 00 S, 172 00 W
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| Area: |
total:
10 sq km
land:
10 sq km
water:
0 sq km
|
| Area - comparative: |
about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
|
| Maritime claims: |
exclusive economic zone:
200 NM
territorial sea:
12 NM
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| Climate: |
tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November)
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| Terrain: |
low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons
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| Elevation extremes: |
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point:
unnamed location 5 m
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| Land use: |
arable land:
0% (soil is thin and infertile)
permanent crops:
0%
permanent pastures:
0%
forests and woodland:
0%
other:
100% (1993 est.)
|
| Natural hazards: |
lies in Pacific typhoon belt
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| Environment - current issues: |
very limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing to emigration to New Zealand
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