Jarvis Island: Background & Geography

Introduction Jarvis Island
Background:
 First discovered by the British in 1821, the uninhabited island was annexed by the US in 1858, but abandoned in 1879 after tons of guano had been removed. The UK annexed the island in 1889, but never carried out plans for further exploitation. The US occupied and reclaimed the island in 1935. Abandoned after World War II, the island is currently a National Wildlife Refuge administered by the US Department of the Interior; a day beacon is situated near the middle of the west coast.
Geography Jarvis Island
Location:
 Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and the Cook Islands
Geographic coordinates:
 0 22 S, 160 03 W
Map references:
 Oceania
Area:
 total: 4.5 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 4.5 sq km
Area - comparative:
 about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
 0 km
Coastline:
 8 km
Maritime claims - as described in UNCLOS 1982 (see Notes and Definitions):
 territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
Climate:
 tropical; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun
Terrain:
 sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef
Elevation extremes:
 lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 7 m
Natural resources:
 guano (deposits worked until late 1800s), terrestrial and aquatic wildlife
Land use:
 arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:
 0 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
 the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island poses a maritime hazard
Environment - current issues:
 no natural fresh water resources
Geography - note:
 sparse bunch grass, prostrate vines, and low-growing shrubs; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife

See Also: