Background: The US took formal possession of the islands in 1867. The laying of the trans-Pacific cable which passed through the islands brought the first residents in 1903. Between 1935 and 1947 Midway was used as a refueling stop for trans-Pacific flights. The US naval victory over a Japanese fleet off Midway in 1942 was one of the turning points of World War II. The islands continued to serve as a naval station until closed in 1989. Today the islands are a wildlife refuge open to the public.

Land boundaries: none

Coastline: 15 km

Maritime claims
Contiguous zone: 12 nm
Continental shelf: 200 m
Extended economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical, but moderated by prevailing easterly winds

Terrain: low, nearly level

Natural resources: fish and wildlife

Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 100% other

Geography
Note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Population: 13 US military personnel (1989)

Environment
Current issues: coral atoll

Country name: conventional long form: none

Government type: unincorporated territory of the US administered by the US Navy, under command of the Barbers Point Naval Air Station in Hawaii and managed cooperatively by the US Navy and the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge System

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (territory of the US)

Flag description: the US flag is used

Economy overview: The economy is based on providing support services for US naval operations located on the islands. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.

Airports: 3 total; 2 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways; 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Pipelines: 7.8 km