_#_Note: strategic location 3,700 km west of Honolulu in the North Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way between Hawaii and the Northern Mariana Islands; emergency landing location for transpacific flights

_*People #_Population: 195 (January 1990); no indigenous inhabitants; 302 temporary population

_#_Note: population peaked about 1970 with over 1,600 persons during the Vietnam conflict

_*Government #_Long-form name: none

_#_Type: unincorporated territory of the US administered by the US Air Force (under an agreement with the US Department of Interior) since 24 June 1972

_#_Flag: the US flag is used

_*Economy #_Overview: Economic activity is limited to providing services to US military personnel and contractors located on the island. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.

_#_Electricity: supplied by US military

_*Communications #_Ports: none; because of the reefs, there are only two offshore anchorages for large ships

_#_Airports: 1 with permanent-surface runways 2,440 to 3,659 m