The Kingdom of Hawaii claimed the atoll in 1862, and the US included it among the Hawaiian Islands when it annexed the archipelago in 1898. The Hawaii Statehood Act of 1959 did not include Palmyra Atoll, which is now privately owned by the Nature Conservancy. This organization is managing the atoll as a nature preserve. The lagoons and surrounding waters within the 12 nautical mile US territorial seas were transferred to the US Fish and Wildlife Service and were designated a National Wildlife Refuge in January 2001.

Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and American Samoa

5 52 N, 162 06 W

total: 11.9 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 11.9 sq km

territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

equatorial, hot, and very rainy

very low

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 2 m

terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

about 50 islets covered with dense vegetation, coconut trees, and balsa-like trees up to 30 meters tall

no indigenous inhabitants; 4 to 20 Nature Conservancy staff, US Fish and Wildlife staff (July 2004 est.)

incorporated territory of the US; privately owned, but administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior; the Office of Insular Affairs of the US Department of the Interior continues to administer nine excluded areas comprising certain tidal and submerged lands within the 12 nm territorial sea or within the lagoon

the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

no economic activity

most of the roads and many causeways built during World War II are unserviceable and overgrown (2001)

West Lagoon

1 (2003 est.)

total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2003 est.)

defence is the responsibility of the US