Midway Islands, three small islands, Sand, Eastern, and Spit, that form an atoll belonging to the United States. The atoll is in the northern Pacific, about midway between North America and Asia, 1,300 statute miles (2,100 km) west-northwest of Honolulu, Hawaii. The combined area of the islands is 2.4 square miles (6.2 km2). The Midway Islands were discovered in 1859. They became a submarine cable station in 1905 and a commercial airline station in 1935. During 1939–41 a U.S. Navy air and submarine base was constructed here. The World War II naval battle of Midway, June 4–6, 1942, was the turning point in the naval war. The islands are administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior as a national wildlife refuge and are open to tourism.
Population: 160.
