:Wake Island Geography Total area: 6.5 km2 Land area: 6.5 km2 Comparative area: about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Land boundaries: none Coastline: 19.3 km Maritime claims: Contiguous zone: 12 nm Continental shelf: 200 m (depth) Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Territorial sea: 12 nm 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 :Wake Island People Population: no indigenous inhabitants; 381 temporary population (US Air Force personnel, civilian weather service personnel, and US and Thai contractors) (January 1992); note - population peaked about 1970 with over 1,600 persons during the Vietnam conflict :Wake Island 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 Capital: none; administered from Washington, DC Flag: the US flag is used :Wake Island 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 :Wake Island Communications Ports: none; because of the reefs, there are only two offshore anchorages for large ships Airports: 1 with permanent-surface runways 2,440-3,659 m Telecommunications: underwater cables to Guam and through Midway to Honolulu; 1 Autovon circuit off the Overseas Telephone System (OTS); Armed Forces Radio/Television Service (AFRTS) radio and television service provided by satellite; broadcast 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 :Wake Island Defense Forces Note: defense is the responsibility of the US