Jarvis Island
United States · Americas
About
Jarvis Island (; formerly known as Bunker Island or Bunker's Shoal) is an uninhabited 4.5 km2 (1.7 sq mi) coral island located in the South Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and the Cook Islands. It is an unincorporated, unorganized territory of the United States, administered by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service of the United States Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system. Unlike most coral atolls, the lagoon on Jarvis is wholly dry.
Jarvis is one of the Line Islands and, for statistical purposes, is also grouped as one of the United States Minor Outlying Islands. Jarvis Island is the largest of three U.S. equatorial possessions, which include Baker Island and Howland Island.
The United States claimed it in the 19th century and mined it for guano. In the 20th century, it was the subject of a small settlement. It was attacked during World War II and evacuated, leaving some buildings and a day beacon. In modern times, it is managed as a nature reserve.
Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)。Photography via Wikimedia Commons.