LINE ISLANDS
Kingman Reef, Palmyra, and Jarvis Island are dependencies of the United States. These island reefs were uninhabited when discovered by American sailors in 1798.
click on the names of the island/reefs to learn what each is about
Kingman Reef
Palmyra Atoll
Jarvis Island
Ocean Islands
These Pacific islands were claimed by the United States under the Guano Act of 1856 on May 13, 1936. Guano, composed of phosphates, was used as fertilizer in the 19th century, and its collection was highly lucrative. Through the Guano Act the U.S. gained 79 tiny territories around the world; it still controls eight of them, Baker and Howland are just two of them.
click on the names of the island/reefs to learn what each is about
Howland Island
Baker Island
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