SELECT EDITION
CATEGORIES
◆ ECONOMY(1 fields)
Economy-overview
no economic activity
◆ GEOGRAPHY(18 fields)
Area
total: 1.6 sq km land: 1.6 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative
about three times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Climate
equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun
Coastline
6.4 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 3 m
Environment-current issues
no natural fresh water resources
Environment-international agreements
party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geographic coordinates
0 48 N, 176 38 W
Geography-note
almost totally covered with grasses, prostrate vines, and low-growing shrubs; small area of trees in the center; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife; feral cats
Irrigated land
0 sq km (1993)
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 5% other: 95%
Location
Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Map references
Oceania
Maritime claims
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural hazards
the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard
Natural resources
guano (deposits worked until late 1800s)
Terrain
low-lying, nearly level, sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef; depressed central area
◆ GOVERNMENT(5 fields)
Country name
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Howland Island
Data code
HQ
Dependency status
unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system
Flag description
the flag of the US is used
Legal system
NA
◆ MILITARY(1 fields)
Military-note
defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US Coast Guard
◆ PEOPLE(1 fields)
Population
uninhabited note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by special-use permit only and generally restricted to scientists and educators
◆ TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES(1 fields)
Disputes-international
none HUNGARY
◆ TRANSPORTATION(3 fields)
Airports
airstrip constructed in 1937 for scheduled refueling stop on the round-the-world flight of Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan-they left Lae, New Guinea, for Howland Island, but were never seen again; the airstrip is no longer serviceable
Ports and harbors
none; offshore anchorage only; note-there is one boat landing area along the middle of the west coast
Transportation-note
Earhart Light is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast that was partially destroyed during World War II, but has since been rebuilt; named in memory of famed aviatrix Amelia Earhart