JOHNSTON ATOLL
(territory of the US)
GEOGRAPHY
Total area: 2.8 km2; land area: 2.8 km2
Comparative area: about 4.7 times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 10 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 12 nm;
Continental shelf: 200 m (depth);
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical, but generally dry; consistent northeast trade
winds with little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: mostly flat with a maximum elevation of 4 meters
Natural resources: guano (deposits worked until about 1890)
Land use: arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures
0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 100%
Environment: some low-growing vegetation
Note: strategic location 1,328 km west-southwest of Honolulu in
the North Pacific Ocean, about one-third of the way between Hawaii and
the Marshall Islands; Johnston Island and Sand Island are natural
islands; North Island (Akau) and East Island (Hikina) are manmade islands
formed from coral dredging; closed to the public; former nuclear weapons
test site; site of Johnston Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal System
(JACADS)
PEOPLE
Population: 1,325 (December 1990); all US government personnel and
contractors
GOVERNMENT
Long-form name: none (territory of the US)
Type: unincorporated territory of the US administered by the US
Defense Nuclear Agency (DNA) and managed cooperatively by DNA and the
Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of
the National Wildlife Refuge system
Diplomatic representation: none (territory of the US)
Flag: the flag of the US is used
ECONOMY
Overview: Economic activity is limited to providing services to
US military personnel and contractors located on the island. All
food and manufactured goods must be imported.
Electricity: supplied by the United States Military
COMMUNICATIONS
Ports: Johnston Island
Airports: 1 with permanent-surface runway 2,743 m
Telecommunications: excellent system including 60-channel submarine
cable, Autodin/SRT terminal, digital telephone switch, Military
Affiliated Radio System (MARS station), commercial satellite television
system (receive only), and UHF/VHF air-ground radio, marine
VHF/FM Channel 16
Note: US Coast Guard operates a LORAN transmitting station
DEFENSE FORCES
Note: defense is the responsibility of the US
