Wake Island is a coral atoll located in the central Pacific Ocean, about 2,000 miles west of Honolulu, Hawaii. The island is an unincorporated territory of the United States, meaning that it is not part of any state, and is administered by the U.S. Air Force.

Wake Island covers an area of about 2.5 square miles and has a population of around 150 people, most of whom are military personnel and contractors. The island is home to Wake Island Airfield, which is used as a refueling stop for military and commercial aircraft.

The history of Wake Island is closely tied to its strategic location in the Pacific. The island was first visited by Europeans in the 16th century, but it was not until the 19th century that it was formally claimed by a Western power, when the United States declared it a U.S. possession in 1899. The island was occupied by the Japanese during World War II, and was the site of a famous battle in 1941, when a small group of U.S. Marines defended the island against overwhelming Japanese forces for two weeks before being captured.

Today, Wake Island is primarily used as a military facility, but it also has some limited tourism opportunities. Visitors can go scuba diving and snorkeling in the island's coral reefs, and there is a small hotel and restaurant on the island. However, access to the island is restricted, and visitors must obtain special permission from the U.S. military to visit.