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Country exposure · CP

Flag of Clipperton Island

Clipperton Island

North America

What Clipperton Island means for your money — the prices you pay, the tariffs in motion, and where U.S. policy could change both.

Map showing the location of Clipperton Island

U.S. exposure

Minimal direct economic exposure

Clipperton Island is not a significant U.S. goods-trade partner and has no tracked tariff actions. Policy changes here are unlikely to reach American prices directly.

Reference

The country itself

North America · Geography, people, economy, and government — public-domain data from the CIA World Factbook.

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.

Regional map of Clipperton Island

Geography

Location
Middle America, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, 1,120 km southwest of Mexico
Area
6 sq km
Climate
tropical; humid, average temperature 20-32 degrees Celsius, wet season (May to October)
Terrain
coral atoll
Natural resources
fish
Coastline
11.1 km
Natural hazards
subject to tropical storms and hurricanes from May to October

People & society

Population
uninhabited

Full reference data

Every field, by section — CIA World Factbook. Open a topic to expand it.

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.
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
Area - land
6 sq km
Area - water
0 sq km
Area - comparative
about 12 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
Land boundaries - total
0 km
Coastline
11.1 km
Maritime claims - territorial sea
12 nm
Maritime claims - 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
Elevation - lowest point
Pacific Ocean 0 m
Natural resources
fish
Land use - agricultural land
0% (2018 est.)
Land use - forest
0% (2018 est.)
Land use - 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
People and Society
Population - total
uninhabited
Government
Country name - conventional long form
none
Country name - conventional short form
Clipperton Island
Country name - local long form
none
Country name - local short form
Ile Clipperton
Country name - former
sometimes referred to as Ile de la Passion or Atoll Clipperton
Country name - etymology
named after an 18th-century English pirate who is alleged to have used the island as a base starting in 1705
Dependency status
possession of France; administered directly by the Minister of Overseas France
Legal system
the laws of France apply
Flag
the flag of France is used
Military and Security
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of France
Environment
Environmental issues
no natural resources, guano deposits depleted; 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.)
Land use - forest
0% (2018 est.)
Land use - other
100% (2018 est.)
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