Navassa Island
Introduction Navassa Island
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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.
Geography Navassa Island
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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
water: 0 sq km
land: 5.2 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%
other: 100% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)
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
People Navassa Island
---------------------
Population: uninhabited
note: transient Haitian fishermen
and others camp on the island (July
2002 est.)
Population growth rate: NA
Government Navassa Island
-------------------------
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 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
Economy Navassa Island
----------------------
Economy - overview: no economic activity
Transportation Navassa Island
-----------------------------
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
Military Navassa Island
-----------------------
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the
US
Transnational Issues Navassa Island
-----------------------------------
Disputes - international: claimed by Haiti
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