Kwajalein

Kwajalein Atollpart ofRepublic ofMarshall Islands (RMI), 2,100 nautical miles southwestHonolulu, Hawaii, at 8.77°N 167.73°E. Kwajalein isworld's largest coral atoll, comprising 97 islets,surroundsworld's largest lagoon.

Since 1944, whenU.S. captured Kwajalein fromJapanese,has been usedmilitary purposes, while escapingtragic fatenearby Bikini Atoll. Eleven of97 islands comprising Kwajalein Atollnow leased byUnited States fromRMI governmentaccommodateRonald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site, or RTS (formerly known as Kwajalein Missile Range, KMR). RTS includes radar installations, optics, telemetry,communications equipment whichusedballistic missilemissile interceptor testingspace operations support.

Kwajalein Island issouthernmost, andlargest, ofislands inKwajalein atoll. The northernmost,second largest, islandRoi-Namur. These aretwo main islands used byU.S. U.S. stafftheir familiesaccommodatedtrailers or hard housing. The populationKwajalein islandapproximately 2,500. The neighboring island Ebeye haslargest population inatoll,approximately 10,000 residents.