POSITION OF LEADING NATIONS
The United States has the largest known deposits of phosphate rock in the world, and, as before the war, can supply the needs of other countries as well as her own. Since mining began about 55,000,000 tons have been mined, or less than 1 per cent. of reserves. Great Britain possesses phosphate in Egypt and on Christmas, Ocean and Pleasant islands, and has imported from the United States and probably from northern Africa. France and the other Mediterranean countries have an ample supply in Algeria and Tunis. Germany formerly possessed rich deposits of phosphate on Angaur Island, in the Pelew group, Polynesia, and on Pleasant and Ocean islands, but so far as known now lacks a source of supply. Japan has a large supply of high-grade phosphate at her disposal on Rasa and Angaur islands.