Location:
Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Tonga
Geographic coordinates:
19 02 S, 169 52 W
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 260 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 260 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 0 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data):
213
Area - comparative:
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
64 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12
nm
[see also: Maritime claims - territorial sea country ranks ]
exclusive economic zone: 200
nm
[see also: Maritime claims - exclusive economic zone country ranks ]
Climate:
tropical; modified by southeast trade winds
Terrain:
steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau
Elevation:
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point:
unnamed elevation 1.4 km east of Hikutavake 80 m
Natural resources:
arable land, fish
Land use:
agricultural land: 19.1%
(2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
arable land: 3.8%
(2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 11.5%
(2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
permanent pasture: 3.8%
(2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent pasture country ranks ]
forest: 71.2%
(2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 9.7%
(2011 est.)
[see also: Land use country ranks ]
Irrigated land:
0 sq km
(2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]
Population distribution:
population distributed around the peripheral coastal areas of the island
Natural hazards:
tropical cyclones
Environment - current issues:
increasing attention to conservationist practices to counter loss of soil fertility from traditional slash and burn agriculture
Environment - international agreements:
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
Geography - note:
one of world's largest coral islands; the only major break in the surrounding coral reef occurs in the central western part of the coast
