Introduction
Background
This uninhabited island was claimed by the US in 1857 for its guano. 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 US 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 and annual scientific expeditions have continued.
Geography
Location
Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, 35 miles west of Tiburon Peninsula of Haiti
Geographic coordinates
18 25 N, 75 02 W
Area (sq km)
total: 5.4 sq km
land: 5.4 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative (sq km)
about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries (km)
0 km
Coastline (km)
8 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 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 (m)
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: unnamed elevation on southwest side 77 m
Natural resources
guano
Land use (%)
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2011)
Natural hazards
hurricanes
Environment - current issues
NA
Geography - note
strategic location 160 km south of the US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; mostly exposed rock with numerous solution holes (limestone sinkholes) but with enough grassland to support goat herds; dense stands of fig trees, scattered cactus
People and Society
Population
uninhabited
note: transient Haitian fishermen and others camp on the island evolution and prospects (1950-2100)
Government
Country name
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Navassa Island
Dependency status
unorganized, unincorporated territory of the US; administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service, US Department of the Interior from the Caribbean Islands National Wildlife Refuge in Boqueron, Puerto Rico; 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
Diplomatic representation from the US
none (territory of the US)
Flag description
the flag of the US is used
Economy
Economy - overview
Subsistence fishing and commercial trawling occur within refuge waters.
Transportation
Ports and terminals
none; offshore anchorage only
Military
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of the US
Largest cities of Navassa Island
These are the 50 largest cities of Navassa Island ordered based on their number of inhabitants.
| # | City | Population |
|---|