Navassa Island
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, Office of Insular Affairs. 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.
Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.
Geography
Location
Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, 30 nm west of Tiburon Peninsula of Haiti
Geographic coordinates
18 25 N, 75 02 W
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Area - comparative
about nine times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries
total: 0 km
Coastline
8 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate
marine, tropical
Terrain
raised flat to undulating coral and limestone plateau; ringed by vertical white cliffs (9 to 15 m high)
Elevation
highest point: 200 m NNW of lighthouse 85 m
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
Natural resources
guano (mining discontinued in 1898)
Land use
other: 100% (2018 est.)
Natural hazards
hurricanes
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; transient Haitian fishermen and others camp on the island
Age structure
0-14 years: NA
15-24 years: NA
25-54 years: NA
55-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: NA
youth dependency ratio: NA
elderly dependency ratio: NA
potential support ratio: NA
Drinking water source
improved: urban: NA
rural: NA
total: NA
unimproved: urban: NA
rural: NA
total: NA
Environment
Environment - current issues
some coral bleaching
Climate
marine, tropical
Land use
other: 100% (2018 est.)
Government
Country name
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Navassa Island
etymology: the flat island was named "Navaza" by some of Christopher COLUMBUS' sailors in 1504; the name derives from the Spanish term "nava" meaning "flat land, plain, or field"
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 the Navassa Island Light, a 46-meter-tall lighthouse on the southern side of the island; Haiti has claimed the island since the 19th century
Legal system
the laws of the US apply where applicable
Diplomatic representation from the US
embassy: none (territory of the US)
Flag description
the flag of the US is used
Economy
Economic overview
Subsistence fishing and commercial trawling occur within refuge waters.
Transportation
Ports and terminals
none; offshore anchorage only
Military and Security
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
Navassa Island (US)-Haiti: claimed by Haiti and is in Haiti’s constitution; the waters around Navassa island are a source of subsistence for Haitian fishermen