2025 Edition Primary
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Introduction
Background
The US claimed uninhabited Navassa Island in 1857 for its guano. Mining took place between 1865 and 1898. The lighthouse, built in 1917, was shut down in 1996, and administration of Navassa Island was transferred from the US Coast Guard to the Department of the Interior, Office of Insular Affairs. 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, and annual scientific expeditions have continued.
Geography
Area
- Land
- 5.4 sq km
- Total
- 5 sq km
- Water
- 0 sq km
Area - comparative
about nine times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
Climate
marine, tropical
Coastline
8 km
Continent
North America
Elevation
- Highest point
- 200 m NNW of lighthouse 85 m
- Lowest point
- Caribbean Sea 0 m
Geographic coordinates
18 25 N, 75 02 W
Geography - note
strategic location 160 km south of the US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; mostly exposed rock with numerous solution holes (limestone sinkholes) but with enough grassland to support goat herds; dense stands of fig trees, scattered cactus
Land boundaries
- Total
- 0 km
Land use
- Other
- 100% (2018 est.)
Landlocked
No
Location
Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, 30 nm west of Tiburon Peninsula of Haiti
Map links
- Google Maps
- https://goo.gl/maps/4XVes1P6uEDTz77WA
- OpenStreetMap
- https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/1216720
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims
- Exclusive economic zone
- 200 nm
- Territorial sea
- 12 nm
Natural hazards
hurricanes
Natural resources
guano (mining discontinued in 1898)
Subregion
Caribbean
Terrain
raised flat to undulating coral and limestone plateau; ringed by vertical white cliffs (9 to 15 m high)
Time zone
- UTC-04:00
- number of time zones
- 1
People and Society
Languages
- languages
- English, Dutch, Papiamento
- number of languages
- 3
Nationality
- adjective
- Dutch
- noun
- Dutch
Population
- Total
- uninhabited
Government
Capital
- geographic coordinates
- 12.14, -68.27
- name
- Kralendijk
Coat of arms
- svg
- https://mainfacts.com/media/images/coats_of_arms/bq.svg
Country name
- alternative spellings
- BES islands
- Conventional long form
- none
- Conventional short form
- Navassa Island
- Etymology
- the flat island was named "Navaza" by sailors with the Christopher COLUMBUS expedition in 1504; the name derives from the Spanish word <em>nava</em>, meaning "flat land or level ground"
- local long form (nld)
- Bonaire, Sint Eustatius en Saba
Dependency status
unorganized, unincorporated territory of the US; administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service, US Department of the Interior, from the Caribbean Islands National Wildlife Refuge in Boqueron, Puerto Rico; Haiti has claimed the island since the 19th century
Diplomatic representation from the US
- Embassy
- none (territory of the US)
Flag
the flag of the US is used
Flag description
The flag of the Caribbean Netherlands features a large blue triangle at the lower fly-side corner, spanning half the flag, and a smaller yellow triangle at the opposite corner, separated by a white strip containing a black compass surrounding a red six-pointed star.
Flag image
- svg
- https://flagcdn.com/bq.svg
Independence
No
Legal system
the laws of the US apply
Start of week
Monday
UN Member
No
Economy
Currency
- code
- USD
- name
- United States dollar (USD) [$]
Communications
Internet country code
.bq, .nl
Telephone calling code
+599
Transportation
Driving side
Right
Vehicle registration code
Military and Security
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of the US
Environment
Environmental issues
some coral bleaching