Location: | Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand |
| Geographic coordinates: | 20 00 S, 175 00 W |
| Map references: | Oceania |
| Area: | total: 748 sq km
water: 30 sq km
land: 718 sq km |
| Area - comparative: | four times the size of Washington, DC |
| Land boundaries: | 0 km |
| Coastline: | 419 km |
| Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
| Climate: | tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December) |
| Terrain: | most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base |
| Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 m |
| Natural resources: | fish, fertile soil |
| Land use: | arable land: 23.61%
permanent crops: 43.06%
other: 33.33% (2001) |
| Irrigated land: | NA sq km |
| Natural hazards: | cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou |
| Environment - current issues: | deforestation results as more and more land is being cleared for agriculture and settlement; some damage to coral reefs from starfish and indiscriminate coral and shell collectors; overhunting threatens native sea turtle populations |
| Environment - international agreements: | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Geography - note: | archipelago of 169 islands (36 inhabited)
Source: CIA World Factbook
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