1BluePlanet Howland Island

Notice: SSI.php was unable to load a session! This may cause problems with logout and other functions - please make sure SSI.php is included before *anything* else in all your scripts! in /home/blurwqr/public_html/community/SSI.php on line 158
1BluePlanet Howland Island

howland island

Print this pages	Email to a friend	Add to Favorites

Introduction: HOWLAND ISLAND

Discovered by the US early in the 19th century, the island was officially claimed by the US in 1857. Both US and British companies mined for guano until about 1890. 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; it is named in memory of the famed aviatrix Amelia EARHART. The island is administered by the US Department of the Interior as a National Wildlife Refuge.

GEOGRAPHY
Country name:	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Howland Island
Capital:
Location:	Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and Australia
Geographic Coordinates:	0 48 N, 176 38 W
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
Land Boundaries:	0 km
Coastline:	6.4 km
Maritime Claims:	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:	equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun
Terrain:	low-lying, nearly level, sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef; depressed central area
Elavation Extremes:	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 3 m
Natural Resources:	guano (deposits worked until late 1800s), terrestrial and aquatic wildlife
GOVERNEMENT
Governement Type:
Administratives Divisions:	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
Independence
National Holiday:
Constitution:
Legal System;	the laws of the US, where applicable, apply
Suffrage
Executive Branch:
Legislative Branch:
Judicial Branch:
Political parties and Leaders:
PEOPLE
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 from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and generally restricted to scientists and educators; visited annually by US Fish and Wildlife Service (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:
Median age:
Nationality:
Ethnic groups:
Religions:
Languages:
COMUNICATIONS
Telephones - main lines in use:
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Telephone system:
Radio broadcast stations:
Television broadcast stations:
Internet country code:
Internet hosts:
Internet users:
TRANSPORT
Railways:
Highways:
Waterways:
Pipelines:
Ports and harbors:	none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one small boat landing area along the middle of the west coast
Merchant marine:
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 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Heliports: