Area:
total: 748 sq km
land: 718 sq km
water: 30 sq km
Area—comparative: four times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 419 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December
to May), cool season (May to December)
Terrain: most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted
coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 m
Natural resources: fish, fertile soil
Land use:
arable land: 24%
permanent crops: 43%
permanent pastures: 6%
forests and woodland: 11%
other: 16% (1993 est.)