MIDWAY ISLANDS (territory of the US) GEOGRAPHY Total area: 5.2 km2; land area: 5.2 km2; includes Eastern Island and Sand Island Comparative area: about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Land boundaries: none Coastline: 15 km Maritime claims: Contiguous zone: 12 nm; Continental shelf: 200 m (depth); Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 12 nm Climate: tropical, but moderated by prevailing easterly winds Terrain: low, nearly level Natural resources: fish and wildlife Land use: arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 100% Environment: coral atoll Note: located 2,350 km west-northwest of Honolulu at the western end of Hawaiian Islands group, about one-third of the way between Honolulu and Tokyo; closed to the public PEOPLE Population: 453 US military personnel (1991) GOVERNMENT Long-form name: none Type: unincorporated territory of the US administered by the US Navy, under command of the Barbers Point Naval Air Station in Hawaii and managed cooperatively by the US Navy and the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge System Diplomatic representation: none (territory of the US) Flag: the US flag is used ECONOMY Overview: The economy is based on providing support services for US naval operations located on the islands. All food and manufactured goods must be imported. Electricity: supplied by US Military COMMUNICATIONS Highways: 32 km total Pipelines: 7.8 km Ports: Sand Island Airports: 3 total; 2 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 2,439 m; 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m DEFENSE FORCES Note: defense is the responsibility of the US