Clipperton Island

Also known as: Clipperton Atoll, Clipperton's Rock, La Passion–Clipperton (French)

📍 Clipperton Island is a small, uninhabited coral atoll located in the eastern Pacific Ocean, about 1,080 km (670 miles) southwest of Mexico. It is an overseas possession of France and is the only French territory in the North Pacific, with no permanent population or neighboring land borders due to its extreme isolation.

Clipperton Island’s geography is simple but distinctive, consisting of a ring-shaped coral atoll surrounding a փակ, stagnant lagoon at its center. The island is very low-lying, rising only a few meters above sea level, and covers a total land area of about 6 square kilometers (2.3 square miles). Its terrain is mostly sandy and rocky, with sparse vegetation, while the enclosed lagoon—once open to the ocean—has developed unusual ecological conditions. Despite its small size, the atoll supports large colonies of seabirds and marine life along its outer reefs. Its remote location and harsh environment have limited human activity, but its position in the Pacific has given it historical and scientific significance as a site for territorial claims, ecological research, and climate observation.