| Location | Oceania, island group in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand |
|
| Geographic coordinates | 18 00 S, 175 00 E |
|
| Zone | Oceania |
|
| Area | total: 18,270 sq km
land: 18,270 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
|
| Land boundaries | 0 km |
|
| Coastline | 1,129 km |
|
| Maritime claims | measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation; rectilinear shelf claim added |
|
| Climate | tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation |
|
| Terrain | mostly mountains of volcanic origin |
|
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Tomanivi 1,324 m |
|
| Natural resources | timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil potential, hydropower |
|
| Irrigated land | 1,129 km |
|
| Natural hazards | cyclonic storms can occur from November to January |
|
Environment -
current issues | deforestation; soil erosion |
|
Environment -
international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
|
| Geography - note | includes 332 islands; approximately 110 are inhabited |
|
