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Location:
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Oceania, island group in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
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Geographic coordinates:
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18 00 S, 175 00 E
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Map references:
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oceania
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Area:
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total: 18,270 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 18,270 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than New Jersey
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Land boundaries:
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0 km
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Coastline:
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1,129 km
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Maritime claims:
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measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation; rectilinear shelf claim added
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
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Climate:
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tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation
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Terrain:
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mostly mountains of volcanic origin
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Tomanivi 1,324 m
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Natural resources:
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timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil potential, hydropower
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Land use:
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arable land: 10.95%
permanent crops: 4.65%
other: 84.4% (2001)
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Irrigated land:
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30 sq km (1998 est.)
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Natural hazards:
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cyclonic storms can occur from November to January
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Environment - current issues:
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deforestation; soil erosion
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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Geography - note:
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includes 332 islands of which approximately 110 are inhabited
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