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Wake Island

Wake Island
United States Minor Outlying Islands
Flag of Wake Island
Flag
Official logo of Wake Island
Unofficial Flag
Motto: "Where America's Day Really Begins"
Anthem: "The Star-Spangled Banner"
Map of Wake Island
Map of Wake Island
Wake Island is located in Pacific Ocean
Wake Island
Wake Island
Location in the Pacific Ocean
Coordinates: 19°18′N 166°38′E / 19.300°N 166.633°E / 19.300; 166.633Coordinates: 19°18′N 166°38′E / 19.300°N 166.633°E / 19.300; 166.633
Country United States
Status unorganized, unincorporated territory
Claimed by U.S. January 17, 1899
Government
 • Body United States Air Force
 • Civil Administrator Gordon O. Tanner, General Counsel of the Air Force
 • Island Commander Captain Allen Jaime, Detachment 1, PACAF Regional Support Center
Area
 • Land 2.73 sq mi (7.1 km2)
 • Lagoon 2 sq mi (6 km2)
 • EEZ 157,237 sq mi (407,241 km2)
Highest elevation 21 ft (6 m)
Lowest elevation (Pacific Ocean) 0 ft (0 m)
Population (2015)
 • Total c. 94
Demonym(s) Wake Islander
Time zone Wake Island Time Zone (UTC+12)
APO / Zip Code 96898
Currency US dollar (USD)
Wake Island
98 rock, Wake Island.jpg
The "98 Rock" on Wilkes Island was carved by a World War II American civilian POW prior to his execution by Japanese Admiral Shigematsu Sakaibara.
Location Pacific Ocean
NRHP Reference # 85002726
Significant dates
Added to NRHP September 16, 1985
Designated NHL September 16, 1985

Wake Island (also known as Wake Atoll) is a coral atoll located in the western Pacific Ocean in the northeastern area of the Micronesia subregion, 1,501 miles (2,416 kilometres) east of Guam, 2,298 miles (3,698 kilometres) west of Honolulu and 1,991 miles (3,204 kilometres) southeast of Tokyo. The island is an unorganized, unincorporated territory of the United States that is also claimed by the Marshall Islands. Wake Island is one of the most isolated islands in the world and the nearest inhabited island is Utirik Atoll in the Marshall Islands, 592 miles (953 kilometres) to the southeast.

Wake Island is administered by the United States Air Force, under an agreement with the Department of the Interior. The center of activity on the atoll is at Wake Island Airfield (IATA: AWKICAO: PWAK) which is primarily used as a mid-Pacific refueling stop for military aircraft and as an emergency landing area. The 9,800-foot (3,000 m) runway is the longest strategic runway in the Pacific islands. Located south of the runway is the Wake Island Launch Center, a Reagan Test Site missile launch facility operated by the United States Army Space and Missile Defense Command and the Missile Defense Agency. The Base Operations Support contractor at Wake is Chugach Alaska Corporation. About 94 people live on the island, and access to it is restricted.


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