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Location:
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Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia
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Geographic coordinates:
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16 00 S, 167 00 E
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Map references:
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oceania
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Area:
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total: 12,200 sq km
land: 12,200 sq km
note: includes more than 80 islands, about 65 of which are inhabited
water: 0 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly larger than Connecticut
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Land boundaries:
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0 km
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Coastline:
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2,528 km
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Maritime claims:
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measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
contiguous zone: 24 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
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Climate:
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tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds from May to October; moderate rainfall from November to April; may be affected by cyclones from December to April
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Terrain:
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mostly mountainous islands of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Tabwemasana 1,877 m
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Natural resources:
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manganese, hardwood forests, fish
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Land use:
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arable land: 2.46%
permanent crops: 7.38%
other: 90.16% (2001)
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Irrigated land:
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NA sq km
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Natural hazards:
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tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanism causes minor earthquakes; tsunamis
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Environment - current issues:
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a majority of the population does not have access to a potable and reliable supply of water; deforestation
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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Geography - note:
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a Y-shaped chain of four main islands and 80 smaller islands; several of the islands have active volcanoes
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