SELECT EDITION
◆ ECONOMY(1 fields)
Economic overview
no economic activity
◆ GEOGRAPHY(15 fields)
Area
total area: 4.5 sq km land area: 4.5 sq km comparative area: about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Climate
tropical; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun
Coastline
8 km
Environment
current issues: no natural fresh water resources natural hazards: the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard international agreements: NA
Geographic coordinates
0 22 S, 160 03 W
Geographic note
sparse bunch grass, prostrate vines, and low-growing shrubs; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife; feral cats
International disputes
none
Irrigated land
0 sq km
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100%
Location
Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to the Cook Islands
Map references
Oceania
Maritime claims
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
guano (deposits worked until late 1800s)
Terrain
sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 23 m
◆ GOVERNMENT(5 fields)
Capital
none; administered from Washington, DC
Data code
DQ
Flag
the flag of the US is used
Name of country
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Jarvis Island
Type of government
unincorporated territory of the US administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge System
◆ PEOPLE(1 fields)
Population
uninhabited; note - Millersville settlement on western side of island occasionally used as a weather station from 1935 until World War II, when it was abandoned; reoccupied in 1957 during the International Geophysical Year by scientists who left in 1958; public entry is by special-use permit only and generally restricted to scientists and educators
◆ TRANSPORTATION(3 fields)
Defense note
defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US Coast Guard
Ports
none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one boat landing area in the middle of the west coast and another near the southwest corner of the island
Transportation note
there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast Defense