Background: The United States officially took possession of the islands in 1867. The laying of a transoceanic cable that passed through the islands brought the first settlers here in 1903. Between 1935 and 1947. Midway was used for refueling during transoceanic flights. According to a2z Countries, the US victory over the Japanese fleet at Midway in 1942 was one of the turning points of World War II. The islands continued to serve as a naval base until its closure in 1993. Today, the islands are a wildlife sanctuary open to the public.

Geography

Location: Oceania, an atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about one third of the way from Honolulu to Tokyo.
Geographic coordinates: 28° 13′ N. latitude, 177° 22’W
Reference map: Oceania.
Area: total: 6.2 km2; land surface area: 6.2 km2; water surface area: 0 km2; note: includes Eastern Island, Sand Island, Spit Island.
Comparative area: about nine times the size of Mople Park in Washington, DC.
Land borders: 0 km.
Coastline: 15 km.
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nautical miles; territorial waters: 12 nautical miles.
Climate: subtropical, but moderated by the prevailing easterly winds.
Relief: low, almost flat.
Maximum and minimum heights: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m; highest point: unnamed point 13 m.
Natural resources: wildlife, land and sea inhabitants.
Land use: arable land: 0%; cultivated land: 0%; pasture: 0%; forests and plantations: 0%; others: 100%.
Irrigated land: 0 sq. km. (1998).
Natural hazards: no data available.
Current environmental issues: no data available.
International agreements on environmental protection:
Note to the section “Geography”: the coral atoll is a national wildlife sanctuary and is open for recreation in the bosom of nature (observation and photography, sport fishing, snorkeling or scuba diving).

Population

Population: no local residents; Approximately 150 US Fish and Wildlife Service staff and service personnel (July 2001 est.).

Politics

Common long form: no;
Common short form: Midway Islands. Dependency State: Unincorporated Territory of the United States; formally operated from Washington, D.C., by the US Naval Engineering Command Pacific Division; the operation of military installations was terminated on September 10, 1993; On October 31, 1996, by presidential order, jurisdiction and control of the atoll was transferred to the U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the National Wildlife Conservation System.

Economics

Economic Overview: The economy is based on the provision of services to support the operations of the island’s National Wildlife Refuge. All food and manufactured goods must be imported. Transport

(Transportation)

Transport Railways:
Roads: total: no data; coated: no data; uncoated: no data.
Pipelines: 7.8 km.
Ports and harbors: Sand Island.
Airports: 3 (2000 est.).
Airports with paved runways: total: 2; from 1524 to 2437 m: 2 (2000 est.).
Airports with unpaved runways: total: 1; from 914 to 1523 m: 1 (2000 est.).