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| Location: |
Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
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| Geographic coordinates: |
20 00 S, 175 00 W
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| Area: |
total:
748 sq km
land:
718 sq km
water:
30 sq km
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| Area - comparative: |
four times the size of Washington, DC
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| Maritime claims: |
continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone:
200 NM
territorial sea:
12 NM
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| Climate: |
tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December)
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| Terrain: |
most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base
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| Elevation extremes: |
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point:
unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 m
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| Natural resources: |
fish, fertile soil
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| Land use: |
arable land:
24%
permanent crops:
43%
permanent pastures:
6%
forests and woodland:
11%
other:
16% (1993 est.)
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| Natural hazards: |
cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou
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| 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
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| Environment - international agreements: |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
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| Geography - note: |
archipelago of 170 islands (36 inhabited)
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