| Navassa Island (territory of the US) |
Introduction Geography People Government Economy Transportation Military Transnational Issues

Navassa Island | Introduction | Top of Page

Background: | This uninhabited island was claimed by the US in 1857 for its guano, and mining took place between 1865 and 1898. The lighthouse, built in 1917, was shut down in 1996 and administration of Navassa Island transferred from the Coast Guard to the Department of the Interior. A 1998 scientific expedition to the island described it as a unique preserve of Caribbean biodiversity; the following year it became a National Wildlife Refuge.

Navassa Island | Geography | Top of Page

Location: | Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, about one-fourth of the way from Haiti to Jamaica

Geographic coordinates: | 18 25 N, 75 02 W

Map references: | Central America and the Caribbean

Area: | total: 5.2 sq km land: 5.2 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: | about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries: | 0 km

Coastline: | 8 km

Maritime claims: | exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: | marine, tropical

Terrain: | raised coral and limestone plateau, flat to undulating; ringed by vertical white cliffs (9 to 15 m high)

Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on southwest side 77 m

Natural resources: | guano

Land use: | arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 10% forests and woodland: 0% other: 90%

Irrigated land: | 0 sq km (1998)

Natural hazards: | NA

Environment - current issues: | NA

Geography - note: | strategic location 160 km south of the US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; mostly exposed rock, but enough grassland to support goat herds; dense stands of fig-like trees, scattered cactus

Navassa Island | People | Top of Page

Population: | uninhabited note: transient Haitian fishermen and others camp on the island (July 2001 est.)

Navassa Island | Government | Top of Page

Country name: | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Navassa Island

Dependency status: | unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service, US Department of the Interior; in September 1996, the Coast Guard ceased operations and maintenance of Navassa Island Light, a 46-meter-tall lighthouse located on the southern side of the island; there has also been a private claim advanced against the island

Legal system: | the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description: | the flag of the US is used

Navassa Island | Economy | Top of Page

Economy - overview: | no economic activity

Navassa Island | Transportation | Top of Page

Waterways: | none

Ports and harbors: | none; offshore anchorage only

Navassa Island | Military | Top of Page

Military - note: | defense is the responsibility of the US

Navassa Island | Transnational Issues | Top of Page

Disputes - international: | claimed by Haiti