Wake Island facts for kids
Map of Wake Island
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| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | North Pacific |
| Coordinates | 19°18′N 166°38′E / 19.300°N 166.633°E |
| Administration | |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 0 permanent, 100 temporary |
Wake Island is a small group of islands in the Pacific Ocean, located far from other land, near Hawaii. It is an atoll, which means it's a ring-shaped coral island or islands that surround a lagoon. Wake Island is a territory of the United States. This means it belongs to the U.S. but is not a state. The United States Air Force manages the island. From December 1941 to August 1945, during World War II, Japan controlled Wake Island.
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Exploring Wake Island
Wake Island is made up of three main islands: Wake, Wilkes, and Peale. These islands are connected by bridges. The entire atoll is quite small, covering about 2.85 square miles (7.4 square kilometers). It has a coastline of about 12 miles (19 kilometers). The highest point on the island is called Ducks Point, which is only 20 feet (6 meters) above sea level.
Where is Wake Island Located?
Wake Island is in the North Pacific Ocean. It sits west of the International Date Line. This means it is one day ahead of the time in most of the United States. The island has its own time zone, called the Wake Island Time Zone.
Why is it Called an "Island"?
Even though Wake is an atoll, it is often called an "island." This name was used before World War II. The United States Navy wanted to make sure people knew Wake was different from other atolls, many of which were controlled by Japan at that time.
Who Lives on Wake Island?
Wake Island does not have any people who live there permanently. This means there are no families or children living there all the time. About 100 people live on the island at any given moment, but they are usually temporary workers. Most of these workers are contractors. They help keep the island's roads, buildings, and other important systems working. One person has lived there since 1991, which is a very long time for a temporary resident!
Images for kids
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Damaged trees and debris left by Super Typhoon Ioke in 2006 at the Memorial Chapel on Wake Island
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Palm trees at Wake Island's lagoon
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Lieutenant Charles Wilkes, commander of the U.S. Navy's United States Exploring Expedition, 1838–42
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Members of the Tanager Expedition explore an abandoned feather collecting camp on Peale Island.
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Tanager Expedition tent camp in 1923 at Wake Island, established on the eastern end of Wilkes Island
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Pan American Airways (PAA) construction workers "lighter" building materials from SS North Haven to the dock at Wilkes Island, Wake Atoll.
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Aerial view of Pan American Airways Hotel and facilities on Peale Island at Wake Atoll. The hotel is on the left, the anchor from the Libelle shipwreck and the pergola leading to the "Clipper" seaplane dock is on the right.
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The formal surrender of the Japanese garrison on Wake Island, September 7, 1945. Island commander Admiral Shigematsu Sakaibara is the Japanese officer in the right-foreground.
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U.S. Civilian POWs Memorial
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The original Drifter's Reef bar, built near the harbor area at Wake Island, opened its doors to aircrews, visitors and other "drifters" on November 8, 1949.
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President Harry S. Truman awards the Distinguished Service Medal, Fourth Oak Leaf Cluster, to General Douglas MacArthur during the Wake Island Conference.
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Vietnamese refugees on Wake Island await resettlement processing by U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service personnel in May 1975
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Passengers and crew of Pan Am's China Clipper II Boeing 747 at Wake Island during a 1985 trip across the Pacific to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first China Clipper flight
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The insignia for Campaign Fierce Sentry (FTO-02 E2), a Missile Defense Agency Integrated Flight Test in 2015, depicts a map of Wake Island within the head of an eagle
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A Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptor is launched from a THAAD battery located on Wake Island, during Flight Test Operational (FTO)-02 Event 2a, conducted November 1, 2015.
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The VFA-27 Royal Maces, a United States Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet squadron based in Atsugi, Japan, flies over the "Downtown" area of Wake Island.
See also
In Spanish: Isla Wake para niños
