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Location:
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Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of the Philippines
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Geographic coordinates:
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7 30 N, 134 30 E
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Map references:
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oceania
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Area:
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total: 458 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 458 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
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Land boundaries:
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0 km
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Coastline:
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1,519 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 3 nm
extended fishing zone: 200 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
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Climate:
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Tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November
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Terrain:
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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:
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lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Ngerchelchuus 242 m
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Natural resources:
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forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products, deep-seabed minerals
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Land use:
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arable land: 8.7%
permanent crops: 4.35%
other: 86.95% (2001)
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Irrigated land:
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NA sq km
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Natural hazards:
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typhoons (June to December)
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Environment - current issues:
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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:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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Geography - note:
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westernmost archipelago in the Caroline chain, consists of six island groups totaling more than 300 islands; includes World War II battleground of Beliliou (Peleliu) and world-famous rock islands
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