Island
transferred from the Coast Guard to the Department of the Interior. A 1998
scientific expedition to the island described it as a unique preserve
of Caribbean biodiversity; the following year it became a National
Wildlife Refuge.

Geography Navassa Island

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

Geographic coordinates: 18 25 N, 75 02 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

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

Area - comparative: about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 8 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: marine, tropical

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

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

Natural resources: guano

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: NA

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

People Navassa Island

Population: uninhabited note: transient Haitian fishermen and others
camp on the island (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate: NA

Government Navassa Island

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Navassa Island

Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; administered
from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service, US Department
of the Interior; in September 1996, the Coast Guard ceased operations
and maintenance of Navassa Island Light, a 46-meter-tall lighthouse on
the southern side of the island; there has also been a private claim
advanced against the island

Legal system: the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description: the flag of the US is used

Economy Navassa Island

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Transportation Navassa Island

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Military Navassa Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Navassa Island