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Photos of Clipperton Island

Sunset and birds at Clipperton Island. Photo courtesy of NOAA / Juan Carlos Salinas.

Introduction

Background

This isolated atoll was named for John CLIPPERTON, an English pirate who was rumored to have made it his hideout early in the 18th century. Annexed by France in 1855 and claimed by the US, it was seized by Mexico in 1897. Arbitration eventually awarded the island to France in 1931, which took possession in 1935.

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Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Geography

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

comparison ranking: total 245

Area - comparative

about 12 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries

total: 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 Celsius, wet season (May to October)

Terrain

coral atoll

Elevation

highest point: Rocher Clipperton 29 m

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

Land use

agricultural land: 0% (2018 est.)

forest: 0% (2018 est.)

other: 100% (2018 est.)

Natural hazards

subject to tropical storms and hurricanes from May to October

Geography - note

the atoll reef is approximately 12 km (7.5 mi) in circumference; an attempt to colonize the atoll in the early 20th century ended in disaster and was abandoned in 1917

People and Society

Population

total: uninhabited

Environment

Environment - current issues

no natural resources, guano deposits depleted; the ring-shaped atoll encloses a stagnant fresh-water lagoon

Climate

tropical; humid, average temperature 20-32 degrees Celsius, wet season (May to October)

Land use

agricultural land: 0% (2018 est.)

forest: 0% (2018 est.)

other: 100% (2018 est.)

Government

Country name

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Clipperton Island

local long form: none

local short form: Ile Clipperton

former: sometimes referred to as Ile de la Passion or Atoll Clipperton

etymology: named after an 18th-century English pirate who supposedly used the island as a base

Dependency status

possession of France; administered directly by the Minister of Overseas France

Legal system

the laws of France apply

Flag description

the flag of France is used

Military and Security

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of France