countries/BQ

Navassa Island

territoryFIPS: BQ|Edition: 1997|28 fields

ECONOMY(1 fields)

Economy - overview

no economic activity

GEOGRAPHY(18 fields)

Area

total : 5.2 sq km land: 5.2 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Climate

marine, tropical

Coastline

8 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on southwest side 77 m

Environment - current issues

NA

Environment - international agreements

party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA

Geographic coordinates

18 25 N, 75 02 W

Geography - note

strategic location 160 km south of the US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; mostly exposed rock, but enough grassland to support goat herds; dense stands of fig-like trees, scattered cactus

Irrigated land

0 sq km (1993)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures : 10% forests and woodland: 0% other: 90%

Location

Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, about one-fourth of the way from Haiti to Jamaica

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

guano

Terrain

raised coral and limestone plateau, flat to undulating; ringed by vertical white cliffs (9 to 15 meters high)

GOVERNMENT(5 fields)

Country name

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Navassa Island

Data code

BQ

Dependency status

unincorporated territory of the US; administered by the US Coast Guard; in September 1996, the Coast Guard ceased operations and maintenance of Navassa Island Light, a 46 meter tall lighthouse located on the southern side of the island; negotiations are currently underway between the Coast Guard, General Services Administration, and Department of Interior for transfer of administration of the island; there has also been a private claim advanced against the island

Flag description

the flag of the US is used

National capital

none; administered from Washington, DC

MILITARY(1 fields)

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the US

PEOPLE(1 fields)

Population

uninhabited note: transient Haitian fishermen and others camp on the island

TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES(1 fields)

Disputes - international

claimed by Haiti NEPAL

TRANSPORTATION(1 fields)

Ports and harbors

none; offshore anchorage only