Jarvis Island Geography - 2005

Location:
Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and the Cook Islands

Geographic coordinates:
0 22 S, 160 03 W

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 4.5 sq km
land: 4.5 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
8 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun

Terrain:
sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 7 m

Natural resources:
guano (deposits worked until late 1800s), terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island poses a maritime hazard

Environment - current issues:
no natural fresh water resources