is located 2,000 miles west of Hawaii. It is composed of three islets: Wake, Wilkes and Peale. The total land area is only 4.5 miles long by 2.25 miles wide. Wake has been an important military base since before World War II. From 1960 to 1972, the Federal Aviation Administration had control over the island. Then the U.S. Air Force (from 1972 to 1994) until they turned it over to the US Army. It was then turned over to the Department of the Interior who in turn let the US Air Force operate the island under a special agreement. There is also a detachment of US Army staff on the island who work for the Space & Missle Defense Command.
There are about 90 people who live on the island full time. The population grows when the US Government has a missile launch in the area. Wake Island is closed to the public. None military planes can only land in extreme emergency.
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