Location:
Oceania, group of three atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:
9 00 S, 172 00 W

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 12 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 12 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 0 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 244

Area - comparative:
about 17 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
101 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; moderated by trade winds (April to November)

Terrain:
low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons

Elevation:
mean elevation: NA
[see also: Elevation - mean elevation country ranks ]
elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Natural resources:
NEGL

Land use:
agricultural land: 60% arable land 0%; permanent crops 60%; permanent pasture 0%
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
forest: 0%
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 40% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Population - distribution:
the country's small population is fairly evenly distributed amongst the three atolls

Natural hazards:
lies in Pacific cyclone belt

Environment - current issues:
limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing to emigration to New Zealand

Geography - note:
consists of three atolls (Atafu, Fakaofo, Nukunonu), each with a lagoon surrounded by a number of reef-bound islets of varying length and rising to over 3 m above sea level