|
|
 Definition  Field Listing  Rank
Order
|
Background: |
The US took possession of the island in 1857, and
its guano deposits were mined by US and British companies during the
second half of the 19th century. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at
colonization was begun on this island - as well as on nearby Howland
Island - but was disrupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned.
Presently the island is a National Wildlife Refuge run by the US
Department of the Interior; a day beacon is situated near the middle
of the west coast. Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
|
|
Location: |
Oceania,
atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and
Australia |
|
Geographic coordinates: |
0 13 N, 176
31 W |
|
Map references: |
Oceania
|
|
Area: |
total:
1.4 sq km
land: 1.4 sq km
water: 0 sq km
|
|
Area - comparative: |
about 2.5
times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC |
|
Land boundaries: |
0 km |
|
Coastline: |
4.8 km
|
|
Maritime claims: |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic
zone: 200 nm |
|
Climate: |
equatorial;
scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun |
|
Terrain: |
low, nearly
level coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef |
|
Elevation extremes: |
lowest
point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed
location 8 m |
|
Natural resources: |
guano
(deposits worked until 1891), 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 can be a maritime hazard |
|
Environment - current issues: |
no natural
fresh water resources |
|
Geography - note: |
treeless,
sparse, and scattered vegetation consisting of grasses, prostrate
vines, and low growing shrubs; primarily a nesting, roosting, and
foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife
Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
|
|
Population: |
uninhabited
note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese
air and naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military
during World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by
special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and
generally restricted to scientists and educators; a cemetery and
remnants of structures from early settlement are located near the
middle of the west coast; visited annually by US Fish and Wildlife
Service (2004 est.) Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
|
|
Country name: |
conventional long form: none
conventional short
form: Baker Island |
|
Dependency status: |
unincorporated territory of the US; administered from
Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US
Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge
system |
|
Legal system: |
the laws of
the US, where applicable, apply |
|
Flag description: |
the flag of
the US is used Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
|
|
Disputes - international: |
none
|
Large portions of this information is from the US government open source publication "The World Factbook", other content copyright © Stratus-Pikpuk, Inc. You may use this information without permission for educational or other non-profit purposes if you refer to us as the source, contact us if you want to use this commercially.
|
