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Clipperton Island

Clipperton Island flag
ⓘ

2021 Factbook flag mirror; image identity has not been individually audited. Source.

Last updated: October 29, 2026

Clipperton Island: CIA World Factbook map from 2021; original boundary notes preserved.
ⓘCIA World Factbook map, February 2021 media edition. Identity reviewed; current boundaries have not been audited. Compared with labeled Clipperton Island illustration in CIA 1990 print scan, page 65; identity only, not current geographic verification. Boundaries, place names and designations may be dated or disputed; original annotations retained. SHA-256: 73368b0656a64e33121376a283e5c8937031bc89462f788efda1e099559627b8. Provenance and inspection record.

Introduction

Background:1

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:2

Middle America, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, 1,120 km southwest of Mexico

Geographic coordinates:3

10 17 N, 109 13 W

Map references:4

Political Map of the World

Area:5

total:6 sq km
land:6 sq km
water:0 sq km

Area - comparative:6

about 12 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

Land boundaries:7

total:0 km

Coastline:8

11.1 km

Maritime claims:9

territorial sea:12 nm
exclusive economic zone:200 nm

Climate:10

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

Terrain:11

coral atoll

Elevation:12

highest point:Rocher Clipperton 29 m
lowest point:Pacific Ocean 0 m

Natural resources:13

fish

Land use:14

agricultural land:0% (2018 est.)
forest:0% (2018 est.)
other:100% (2018 est.)

Natural hazards:15

subject to tropical storms and hurricanes from May to October

Geography - note:16

the atoll reef is approximately 12 km (7.5 mi) in circumference

People and Society

Population:17

total:uninhabited

Environment

Environmental issues:18

no natural resources, guano deposits depleted; stagnant fresh-water lagoon

Climate:19

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

Land use:20

agricultural land:0% (2018 est.)
forest:0% (2018 est.)
other:100% (2018 est.)

Government

Country name:21

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 is alleged to have used the island as a base starting in 1705

Dependency status:22

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

Legal system:23

the laws of France apply

Flag:24

the flag of France is used

Military and Security

Military - note:25

defense is the responsibility of France

Historical observations

Notes & sources

  1. Background. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-11-20 20:57:00 -0500 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  2. Location. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-11-20 20:57:00 -0500 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  3. Geographic coordinates. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-11-20 20:57:00 -0500 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  4. Map references. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-11-20 20:57:00 -0500 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  5. Area. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-11-20 20:57:00 -0500 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  6. Area - comparative. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-11-20 20:57:00 -0500 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  7. Land boundaries. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-11-20 20:57:00 -0500 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  8. Coastline. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-11-20 20:57:00 -0500 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  9. Maritime claims. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-11-20 20:57:00 -0500 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  10. Climate. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-11-20 20:57:00 -0500 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  11. Terrain. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-11-20 20:57:00 -0500 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  12. Elevation. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-11-20 20:57:00 -0500 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  13. Natural resources. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-11-20 20:57:00 -0500 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  14. Land use. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-11-20 20:57:00 -0500 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  15. Natural hazards. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-11-20 20:57:00 -0500 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  16. Geography - note. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-11-20 20:57:00 -0500 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  17. Population. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-11-20 20:57:00 -0500 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  18. Environmental issues. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-11-20 20:57:00 -0500 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  19. Climate. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-11-20 20:57:00 -0500 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  20. Land use. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-11-20 20:57:00 -0500 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  21. Country name. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-11-20 20:57:00 -0500 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  22. Dependency status. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-11-20 20:57:00 -0500 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  23. Legal system. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-11-20 20:57:00 -0500 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  24. Flag. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-11-20 20:57:00 -0500 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  25. Military - note. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-11-20 20:57:00 -0500 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
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