Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Palmyra Atoll

Background

All US Pacific Island territories listed below, with the exception of Midway Atoll, form part of the Pacific Remote Islands National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) Complex. This complex is managed by the Fish and Wildlife Service under the US Department of the Interior. Midway Atoll NWR is included in a Refuge Complex together with the Hawaiian Islands NWR and is also recognized as part of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. These isolated refuges represent the largest assemblage of protected marine and terrestrial life areas globally, governed by a single nation. They host numerous endemic species, including corals, fish, shellfish, marine mammals, seabirds, water birds, land birds, insects, and unique vegetation.

Baker Island: The island was claimed by the US in 1857. During the latter part of the 19th century, both US and British enterprises extracted guano from the island. A brief attempt at colonization occurred in 1935 but was interrupted by World War II, leading to the island's abandonment. In 1974, Baker Island was designated as a National Wildlife Refuge.

Howland Island: Discovered by the US in the early 19th century, the island was formally claimed in 1857. Guano mining by US and British companies continued until around 1890. The Earhart Light, a day marker located near the center of the western coast, suffered partial destruction during World War II but was later reconstructed; it honors the renowned aviator Amelia EARHART. The island is managed as a National Wildlife Refuge by the US Department of the Interior.

Jarvis Island: The British were the first to discover this uninhabited island in 1821. The US annexed Jarvis Island in 1858, but it was abandoned in 1879 following the extraction of significant guano deposits for fertilizer production. The UK claimed the island in 1889 but did not pursue further exploitation. The US reoccupied the island in 1935. After being abandoned post-World War II, it is now a National Wildlife Refuge under the management of the US Department of the Interior.

Johnston Atoll: Johnston Atoll was annexed by both the US and the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1858, although it was the US that extracted guano until the late 1880s. It was designated as a wildlife refuge in 1926. The US Navy took control of the atoll in 1934, which was later handed over to the US Air Force in 1948. The atoll was utilized for high-altitude nuclear testing during the 1950s and 1960s, and it served as a storage and disposal site for chemical weapons until 2000. The cleanup and decommissioning of the weapons facility concluded in 2005.

Kingman Reef: The US annexed Kingman Reef in 1922. Its protected lagoon acted as a refueling station for flying boats traveling between Hawaii and American Samoa during the late 1930s. The reef lacks terrestrial vegetation and is often submerged, yet it is home to a rich and varied array of marine life. In 2001, the waters surrounding the reef, extending to 12 nautical miles, were designated as a US National Wildlife Refuge.

Midway Islands: The US formally claimed the Midway Islands in 1867. The establishment of a trans-Pacific cable that ran through the islands led to the arrival of the first inhabitants in 1903. From 1935 to 1947, Midway served as a refueling point for trans-Pacific flights. The US naval triumph over a Japanese fleet near Midway in 1942 marked a significant turning point in World War II. The islands continued to operate as a naval station until 1993. Currently, they are designated as a US National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge was accessible to the public from 1996 to 2002 and again from 2008 to 2012, but it is now closed.

Palmyra Atoll: The atoll was claimed by the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1862, and the US included it among the Hawaiian Islands when it annexed the archipelago in 1898. The Hawaii Statehood Act of 1959 did not encompass Palmyra Atoll, which is now partially owned by the Nature Conservancy and partially managed by the US Government as a nature preserve. The lagoons and adjacent waters within the 12-nautical-mile US territorial seas were transferred to the US Fish and Wildlife Service and designated as a National Wildlife Refuge in 2001.

Area

Climate

Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands: located in the equatorial region; characterized by minimal rainfall, persistent winds, and intense sunlight

Johnston Atoll and Kingman Reef: situated in a tropical climate but generally arid; experience steady northeast trade winds with negligible seasonal temperature changes

Midway Islands: classified as subtropical with cool, moist winters (from December to February) and warm, dry summers (from May to October); influenced by prevailing easterly winds; the majority of the annual rainfall, approximately 107 cm, occurs during winter

Palmyra Atoll: positioned in the equatorial zone, it is hot and receives significant rainfall, averaging between 400-500 cm annually, situated within the low-pressure zone of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) where the northeast and southeast trade winds converge

Terrain

comprising low-lying and almost level sandy coral islands with narrow fringing reefs formed atop submerged volcanic mountains, which typically rise steeply from the ocean bed

Land use

Location

Oceania

Baker Island: atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 3,390 km southwest of Honolulu, about halfway between Hawaii and Australia

Howland Island: island in the North Pacific Ocean 3,360 km southwest of Honolulu, about halfway between Hawaii and Australia

Jarvis Island: island in the South Pacific Ocean 2,415 km south of Honolulu, about halfway between Hawaii and Cook Islands

Johnston Atoll: atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 1,330 km southwest of Honolulu, about one-third of the way from Hawaii to the Marshall Islands

Kingman Reef: reef in the North Pacific Ocean 1,720 km south of Honolulu, about halfway between Hawaii and American Samoa

Midway Islands: atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 2,335 km northwest of Honolulu near the end of the Hawaiian Archipelago, about one-third of the way from Honolulu to Tokyo

Palmyra Atoll: atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 1,780 km south of Honolulu, about halfway between Hawaii and American Samoa

Coastline

Baker Island: 4.8 kilometers
Howland Island: 6.4 kilometers
Jarvis Island: 8 kilometers
Johnston Atoll: 34 kilometers
Kingman Reef: 3 kilometers
Midway Islands: 15 kilometers
Palmyra Atoll: 14.5 kilometers

Elevation

Map references

Oceania

Land boundaries

Maritime claims

Natural hazards

Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands: the surrounding narrow fringing reef presents a maritime danger

Kingman Reef: frequently wet or submerged; with a maximum height of less than 2 meters, the reef poses a maritime risk

Geography - note

Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands: feature sparse vegetation including grasses, vines, and low shrubs; primarily serve as nesting, roosting, and foraging habitats for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife; access is restricted to the public

Johnston Atoll: consists of Johnston Island and Sand Island, natural islands expanded through coral dredging; North Island (Akau) and East Island (Hikina) are artificially created from coral dredging; the oval-shaped reef is 34 kilometers (21 miles) in circumference; access is restricted to the public

Kingman Reef: a featureless coral atoll with a deep central lagoon; access is restricted to the public

Midway Islands: a coral atoll designated as a National Wildlife Refuge, open to the public for wildlife observation and photography

Palmyra Atoll: distinguished by high rainfall and dense vegetation, creating a unique environment among US Pacific Island territories; hosts a significant undisturbed stand of Pisonia beach forest

Natural resources

terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity

Area - comparative

Baker Island: roughly 2.5 times the area of the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

Howland Island: approximately three times the area of the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

Jarvis Island: about eight times the area of the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

Johnston Atoll: about 4.5 times the area of the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

Kingman Reef: slightly more than 1.5 times the area of the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

Midway Islands: about nine times the area of the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

Palmyra Atoll: around 20 times the area of the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

Geographic coordinates

Baker Island: 0° 13' N, 176° 28' W

Howland Island: 0° 48' N, 176° 38' W

Jarvis Island: 0° 23' S, 160° 01' W

Johnston Atoll: 16° 45' N, 169° 31' W

Kingman Reef: 6° 23' N, 162° 25' W

Midway Islands: 28° 12' N, 177° 22' W

Palmyra Atoll: 5° 53' N, 162° 05' W

Population

note: access is permitted solely via a Special Use Permit when the activity is considered suitable in relation to the objectives of the refuge's establishment. 

Climate

Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands: situated in the equatorial region; characterized by minimal precipitation, steady winds, and intense sunlight.

Johnston Atoll and Kingman Reef: classified as tropical yet typically arid; experience persistent northeast trade winds and exhibit minimal variation in seasonal temperatures.

Midway Islands: fall under the subtropical category, featuring cool and damp winters (from December to February) alongside warm and dry summers (from May to October); influenced by prevailing easterly winds; the majority of the annual precipitation, totaling 107 cm, occurs in winter.

Palmyra Atoll: equatorial and hot; positioned within the low-pressure zone of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), where the northeast and southeast trade winds converge, resulting in high rainfall levels ranging from 400 to 500 cm annually.

Land use

Environmental issues

Baker Island: lacks natural sources of freshwater.

Howland Island: devoid of natural freshwater resources.

Jarvis Island: has no natural freshwater sources.

Johnston Atoll: no natural freshwater resources available; faces challenges from the introduction of non-native species.

Midway Islands: suffers from plastic pollution; primarily consists of non-native plant species.

Kingman Reef: has no notable issues.

Palmyra Atoll: faces no significant problems.

Carbon dioxide emissions

Flag

the flag of the United States is utilized

Country name

Legal system

the regulations of the United States are applicable

Dependency status

aside from Palmyra Atoll, the other islands are unincorporated, unorganized territories of the United States; they are managed by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the United States Department of the Interior as a component of the National Wildlife Refuge System

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (territories of the US)

Coal

Petroleum

Airports

2 (2025)

Military - note

The responsibility for defense lies with the United States.