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| Location: |
Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of the Philippines
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| Geographic coordinates: |
7 30 N, 134 30 E
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| Area: |
total:
458 sq km
land:
458 sq km
water:
0 sq km
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| Area - comparative: |
slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
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| Maritime claims: |
continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone:
12 NM
extended fishing zone:
200 NM
territorial sea:
3 NM
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| Climate: |
wet season May to November; hot and humid
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| Terrain: |
varying geologically from the high, mountainous main island of Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier reefs
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| Elevation extremes: |
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Mount Ngerchelchauus 242 m
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| Natural resources: |
forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products, deep-seabed minerals
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| Land use: |
arable land:
NA%
permanent crops:
NA%
permanent pastures:
NA%
forests and woodland:
NA%
other:
NA%
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| Natural hazards: |
typhoons (June to December)
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| 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
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| Environment - international agreements: |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea
signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
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| Geography - note: |
includes World War II battleground of Beliliou (Peleliu) and world-famous rock islands; archipelago of six island groups totaling over 200 islands in the Caroline chain
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