Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November)
Terrain:
low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m
Natural resources:
NEGL
Land use:
arable land: 0% (soil is thin and infertile)
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2001)
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Natural hazards:
lies in Pacific typhoon belt
Environment - current issues:
very limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing to
emigration to New Zealand
Geography - note:
consists of three atolls, each with a lagoon surrounded by a number
of reef-bound islets of varying length and rising to over three
meters above sea level