Location:
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Geographic coordinates:
16 00 S, 167 00 E
Map references:
Oceania
Area: Area - comparative: Land boundaries: Coastline: Maritime claims: Climate: Terrain: Elevation: Natural resources: Land use: Irrigated land: Natural hazards: Environment - current issues: Environment - international agreements: Geography - note:
total: 12,189 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 12,189 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 0 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
note: includes more than 80 islands, about 65 of which are inhabited
country comparison to the world: 164
slightly larger than Connecticut
0 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]
2,528 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds from May to October; moderate rainfall from November to April; may be affected by cyclones from December to April
mostly mountainous islands of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains
mean elevation: NA
[see also: Mean Elevation country ranks ]
elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Tabwemasana 1,877 m
manganese, hardwood forests, fish
agricultural land: 15.3%
arable land 1.6%; permanent crops 10.3%; permanent pasture 3.4%
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
forest: 36.1%
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 48.6% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]
0 sq km (2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]
tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanic eruption on Aoba (Ambae) island began on 27 November 2005, volcanism also causes minor earthquakes; tsunamis
volcanism: significant volcanic activity with multiple eruptions in recent years; Yasur (elev. 361 m), one of the world's most active volcanoes, has experienced continuous activity in recent centuries; other historically active volcanoes include, Aoba, Ambrym, Epi, Gaua, Kuwae, Lopevi, Suretamatai, and Traitor's Head
most of the population does not have access to a reliable supply of potable water; deforestation
party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
a Y-shaped chain of four main islands and 80 smaller islands; several of the islands have active volcanoes and there are several underwater volcanoes as well