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 1993. Today the islands are a US National Wildlife Refuge. From 1996 to 2002 and 2008 to 2012 the refuge was open to the public, but it is now closed.

Geographic coordinates: 28 12 N, 177 22 W

Map reference: Oceania

Area
Total: note: includes Eastern Island, Sand Island, and Spit Island
Land: 6.2 km²
Water: 0 km²
Rank: 247
Comparative: about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 15 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate: subtropical; moderated by prevailing easterly winds

Terrain: low, nearly flat

Elevation: 0 m
Note: lowest point: Pacific Ocean

Natural resources: terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

Land use
Agricultural land: 0% (2011 est.)
Forest: 0% (2011 est.)
Other: 100% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 km² (2012)

Natural hazards: tropical storms

Geography
Note: the coral atoll is managed as a national wildlife refuge and was open to the public for ecotourism from 1996 to 2002 and then again from 2008 to 2012; in 2000, the lands and waters of the Midway National Wildlife Refuge were also designated as the Battle of Midway National Monument; Henderson Airfield on Sand Island continues to serve as an emergency landing field for military and civilian aircraft transiting the Pacific Ocean

Population
Note: no indigenous inhabitants; approximately 40 people make up the staff of US Fish and Wildlife Service and their services contractor living at the atoll (July 2014 est.)

Environment
Current issues: small plastic ocean debris mistaken for fish or squid by birds is fed to fledglings resulting in starvation; fishing nets that wash ashore entangle wildlife resulting in starvation or strangulation

Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Midway Islands
Etymology: originally named the Middlebrook Islands after the US captain who discovered them in 1859; the name became Midway later in the 19th century and reflects the islands position in the North Pacific Ocean roughly equidistant between North America and Asia

Legal system: the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Citizenship: see United States

Flag description: the flag of the US is used

Airports
With paved runways total: 2 (2013)
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2 (2013)
With unpaved runways total: 1 (2013)
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1 (2013)

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Sand Island

Disputes international: none