Location: | Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of the Philippines |
| Geographic coordinates: | 7 30 N, 134 30 E |
| Map references: | Oceania |
| Area: | total: 458 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 458 sq km |
| Area - comparative: | slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
| Land boundaries: | 0 km |
| Coastline: | 1,519 km |
| Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 3 nm
extended fishing zone: 200 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm |
| Climate: | Tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November |
| Terrain: | varying geologically from the high, mountainous main island of Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier reefs |
| Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Ngerchelchuus 242 m |
| Natural resources: | forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products, deep-seabed minerals |
| Land use: | arable land: 8.7%
permanent crops: 4.35%
other: 86.95% (2001) |
| Irrigated land: | NA sq km |
| Natural hazards: | typhoons (June to December) |
| Environment - current issues: | inadequate facilities for disposal of solid waste; threats to the marine ecosystem from sand and coral dredging, illegal fishing practices, and overfishing |
| Environment - international agreements: | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Geography - note: | westernmost archipelago in the Caroline chain, consists of six island groups totaling more than 300 islands; includes World War II battleground of Beliliou (Peleliu) and world-famous rock islands
Source: CIA World Factbook
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