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: 23.61%
permanent crops: 43.06%
other: 33.33% (2001)
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Natural hazards:
cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on
Fonuafo'ou
Environment - current issues:
deforestation results as more and more land is being cleared for
agriculture and settlement; some damage to coral reefs from starfish
and indiscriminate coral and shell collectors; overhunting threatens
native sea turtle populations
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
archipelago of 169 islands (36 inhabited)