|
Home
Missions
Ministries
Bible
Institute & School
Contact
Us
Careers,
Opportunities in Ministry
|
Background:
|
 First
discovered by the British in 1821, the uninhabited island was
annexed by the US in 1858, but abandoned in 1879 after tons of
guano had been removed. The UK annexed the island in 1889, but
never carried out plans for further exploitation. The US
occupied and reclaimed the island in 1935. Abandoned after
World War II, the island is currently a National Wildlife
Refuge administered by the US Department of the Interior; a
day beacon is situated near the middle of the west coast. |
|
Location:
|
Oceania, island
in the South Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and
the Cook Islands |
|
Geographic coordinates:
|
0 22 S, 160 03 W |
|
Map references:
|
Oceania |
|
Area:
|
total: 4.5
sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 4.5 sq km |
|
Area - comparative:
|
about eight times
the size of The Mall in Washington, DC |
|
Land boundaries:
|
0 km |
|
Coastline:
|
8 km |
|
Climate:
|
tropical; scant
rainfall, constant wind, burning sun |
|
Terrain:
|
sandy, coral
island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef |
|
Elevation extremes:
|
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 7 m |
|
Natural resources:
|
guano (deposits
worked until late 1800s), terrestrial and aquatic wildlife |
|
Land use:
|
arable land:
0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (1998 est.) |
|
Irrigated land:
|
0 sq km (1998
est.) |
|
Natural hazards:
|
the narrow
fringing reef surrounding the island poses a maritime hazard |
|
Environment - current issues:
|
no natural fresh
water resources |
|
Geography - note:
|
sparse bunch
grass, prostrate vines, and low-growing shrubs; primarily a
nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds,
shorebirds, and marine wildlife |
|
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 from US Fish and
Wildlife Service only and generally restricted to scientists
and educators; visited annually by US Fish and Wildlife
Service (July 2004 est.) |
|
Country name:
|
conventional
long form: none
conventional short form: Jarvis Island |
|
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 |
|
Legal system:
|
the laws of the
US, where applicable, apply |
|
Economy - overview:
|
no economic
activity |
|
Waterways:
|
none |
|
Ports and harbors:
|
none; offshore
anchorage only; note - there is one small 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 |
|
Military - note:
|
defense is the
responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US Coast
Guard |
|
Disputes - international:
|
none |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
|