Coastline: 1,129 km
Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation; rectilinear shelf claim added exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: none
Climate: tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: mostly mountains of volcanic origin lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Tomanivi 1,324 m
Natural resources: timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil
potential
Land use:
arable land: 8%
permanent crops: 5%
meadows and pastures: 3%
forest and woodland: 65%
other: 19%
Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues: deforestation; soil erosion
natural hazards: cyclonic storms can occur from November to January
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Whaling
Geographic note: includes 332 islands of which approximately 110
are inhabited