Clipperton Island:
Geography


Background	This isolated island was named for John CLIPPERTON, a pirate who made it his hideout early in the 18th century. Annexed by France in 1855, it was seized by Mexico in 1897. Arbitration eventually awarded the island to France, which took possession in 1935.

Location	Middle America, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, 1,120 km southwest of Mexico
Geographic coordinates	10 17 N, 109 13 W
Map references	Political Map of the World
Area	total: 6 sq km land: 6 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	about 12 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries	0 km
Coastline	11.1 km
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate	tropical; humid, average temperature 20-32 degrees C, wet season (May to October)
Terrain	coral atoll
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Rocher Clipperton 29 m
Natural resources	fish
Land use	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (all coral) (2005)
Irrigated land	0 sq km
Natural hazards	NA
Environment - current issues	NA
Geography - note	reef 12 km in circumference