Johnston Atoll etymology Population: uninhabited
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| History | |
| Both the US and the Kingdom of Hawaii annexed Johnston Atoll in 1858, but it was the US that mined the guano deposits until the late 1880s. Johnston Island and Sand Island were designated wildlife refuges in 1926. The US Navy took over the atoll in 1934, and subsequently the US Air Force assumed control in 1948. The site was used for high-altitude nuclear tests in the 1950s and 1960s, and until late in 2000 the atoll was maintained as a storage and disposal site for chemical weapons. Cleanup and closure of the weapons facility ended in May 2005. |
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| Geography | |
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| Location: | Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 1328 km southwest of Honolulu, Hawaii, about one-third of the way from Hawaii to the Marshall Islands |
| Geographic coordinates: | 16 45 N, 169 31 W |
| Area: | total: 2.63 sq km land: 2.63 sq km water: 0 sq km Size comparison: about 4.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC |
| Land Boundaries: | 0 km |
| Coastline: | 34 km |
| Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
| Climate: | tropical, but generally dry; consistent northeast trade winds with little seasonal temperature variation |
| Terrain: | mostly flat |
| Natural resources: | guano deposits (worked until about 1890), terrestrial and aquatic wildlife |
| Natural hazards: | occasional tropical cyclones; coral reef to the north and west of the atoll is a maritime hazard |
| Current Environment Issues: | no natural fresh water resources |
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| Population: | uninhabited note: in previous years, there was an average of 1,100 US military and civilian contractor personnel present; as of September 2001, population had decreased significantly when US Army Chemical Activity Pacific (USACAP) departed; as of May 2005 all US Government personnel had left the island |
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| Government | |
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| Country name: | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Johnston Atoll etymology: although first encountered in 1796, the islands were named after Captain Charles JOHNSTON, who sighted them in 1807 |
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| Legal system: | the laws of the US apply where applicable |
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| Airports (paved runways): | total 1 (2013) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2013) |
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| Ports and terminals: | Johnston Island |
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| Defense is the responsibility of the US | |
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| Disputes - International: | none |
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Source: CIA - The World Factbook