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Location:
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Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about midway between Peru and New Zealand
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Geographic coordinates:
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25 04 S, 130 06 W
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Map references:
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oceania
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Area:
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total: 47 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 47 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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about 0.3 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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51 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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Climate:
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tropical; hot and humid; modified by southeast trade winds; rainy season (November to March)
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Terrain:
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rugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline with cliffs
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pawala Valley Ridge 347 m
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Natural resources:
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miro trees (used for handicrafts), fish
note: manganese, iron, copper, gold, silver, and zinc have been discovered offshore
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Land use:
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arable land: NA
permanent crops: NA
other: NA (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 (especially November to March)
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Environment - current issues:
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deforestation (only a small portion of the original forest remains because of burning and clearing for settlement)
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Geography - note:
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Britain's most isolated dependency; only the larger island of Pitcairn is inhabited but it has no port or natural harbor; supplies must be transported by rowed longboat from larger ships stationed offshore
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