NAVIGATION
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NAVIGATION
Johnston Atoll
INTRODUCTION
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Background:
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Both the US and the Kingdom of Hawaii annexed Johnston Atoll in 1858, but it was the US that mined the guano deposits until the late 1880s. The US Navy took over the atoll in 1934, and subsequently the US Air Force assumed control in 1948. The site was used for high altitude nuclear tests in the 1950s and 1960s, and until late in 2000 the atoll was maintained as a storage and disposal site for chemical weapons. Munitions destruction is now complete. Cleanup and closure of the facility is progressing, with completion anticipated in 2004. |
GEOGRAPHY
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Location:
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Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 717 NM (1328 km) southwest of Honolulu, Hawaii, about one-third of the way from Hawaii to the Marshall Islands |
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Geographic coordinates:
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16 45 N, 169 31 W |
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Map references:
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Oceania |
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Area:
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total: 2.8 sq km
water: 0 sq km land: 2.8 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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about 4.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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34 km |
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Maritime claims:
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exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
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Climate:
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tropical, but generally dry; consistent northeast trade winds with little seasonal temperature variation |
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Terrain:
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mostly flat |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Summit Peak 5 m |
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Natural resources:
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guano deposits worked until depletion about 1890, terrestrial and aquatic wildlife |
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Land use:
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arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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0 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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NA |
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Environment - current issues:
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no natural fresh water resources |
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Geography - note:
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strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean; Johnston Island and Sand Island are natural islands, which have been expanded by coral dredging; North Island (Akau) and East Island (Hikina) are manmade islands formed from coral dredging; egg-shaped reef is 34 km in circumference; closed to the public; former US nuclear weapons test site; site of Johnston Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal System (JACADS); some lowgrowing vegetation |
PEOPLE
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Population:
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no indigenous inhabitants
note: in previous years, there was an average of 1,100 US military and civilian contractor personnel present; as of September 2001, population had decreased significantly when US Army Chemical Activity Pacific (USACAP) departed; as of January 2003 the island population was just above 800 personnel, including US Air Force, DoD civilian, and civilian contractor personnel (January 2003 est.) |