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National Ocean Service National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Home About AA Spotlight Coastal Fast Facts

Coastal Fast Facts

Grab some "bite-sized" facts about coastal economics, demographics, weather, storms, ports, aquaculture, and marine debris.

  • 12 April 2017

    • Did you know:

    • U.S. coastal counties are home to 40 percent of the nation’s population, but only account for 10 percent of the nation’s land mass (excluding Alaska).
    • Estimates for insured losses from 2016’s Hurricane Matthew ranged from $1.5 billion to $7 billion.
    • Recurrent tidal (“nuisance”) flooding has increased 300–900 percent since the 1960s.
    • In 2016, the United States experienced 15 weather and climate disasters, with losses exceeding $1 billion.

    To provide easy access for our most used facts and figures, the Office for Coastal Management (OCM) developed a series of “coastal fast facts” web pages. You’ll find them at the bottom of the OCM home page.

    Current topics include economics, demographics, weather, storms, ports, aquaculture, and marine debris. A hard copy (pdf) version of some of the most popular fast facts is also available online.

    The new OCM website also includes a database of more than 200 story snippets, searchable by topic, program, and location, that highlights how coastal management is making a difference.



    W. Russell Callender, Ph.D. 
    Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal
    Zone Management, National Ocean Service
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