United States Minor Outlying Islands facts for kids

United States Minor Outlying Islands
Flag
Motto:  "In God We Trust" (official) "E Pluribus Unum" (Latin) (traditional) "Out of Many, One"
Anthem: Star Spangled Banner
Administrative center	Washington, D.C.
Largest village	Wake Island
Official languages	English
Demonym(s)	American Islander
Government
• President	Barack Obama (D)
• Governor	none
• Lieutenant Governor	none
Area
• Total	34.2 km2 (13.2 sq mi) (190th)
• Water (%)	88.6
Population
• 2009 estimate	300 (232nd)
• 2000 census	316
• Density	(n/a)
GDP (PPP)	estimate
• Total	n/a (n/a)
• Per capita	$46,381a (6th)
Currency	United States dollar (USD)
ISO 3166 code	UM
Internet TLD	.us b
2000 estimate. .um was retired in 2008.

The United States Minor Outlying Islands are eight island territories of the United States. They are Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Atoll, Palmyra Atoll and Wake Island in the Pacific Ocean; and Navassa Island in the Caribbean Sea. The islands are grouped together for statistical reasons. They are not administered together.

As of 2008, none of the islands have any people living there permanently. The only human population consists of temporarily stationed scientific and military personnel. The 2000 census counted 315 people on Johnston Atoll and 1 person on Wake Island. There has been no modern indigenous population, except at the 1940 census. In 1936, a colonization scheme began to settle Americans on Baker, Howland and Jarvis, but all three islands were evacuated in 1942 because of World War II.

The islands are all together represented by the ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code UM. The ISO introduced the term "United States Minor Outlying Islands" in 1986. From 1974 until 1986, five of the islands (Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Palmyra Atoll and Kingman Reef) were grouped under the term "United States Miscellaneous Pacific Islands", with ISO 3166 code PU. The code of Midway Atoll was MI, the code of Johnston Atoll was JT, and the code of Wake Island was WK. The Pacific islands are surrounded by large Exclusive Economic Zones.

Airports

The following is a list of island airports with ICAO (IATA) codes:

• PJON (JON): Johnston Atoll Airport, Johnston Atoll
• PMDY (MDY): Henderson Field (Midway Atoll), (Naval Air Facility), Sand Island
• PWAK (AWK): Wake Island Airfield, Wake Island
• PLPA: Palmyra (Cooper) Airport, Palmyra Atoll, Cooper Island
• PBAR: Baker Island Airport, Baker Island
• PLUR: Jarvis Airport, Jarvis Island

Ports

Three of the islands have ports listed in the World Port Index, with World Port Number:

• 56325 JOHNSTON ATOLL: Johnston Atoll
• 56328 MIDWAY ISLAND: Midway Atoll
• 56330 WAKE ISLAND: Wake Island
• not listed WEST LAGOON: Palmyra Atoll

Baker Island, Howland Island and Jarvis Island have a small boat landing place on each. Kingman Reef and Navassa Island have offshore anchorage only.

Islands

Atoll/Island	Island Area km²	Lagoon km²	Coordinates	NWR Established	Date of Acquisition
Northern Pacific Ocean, scattered isolated islands
Wake IslandA	7.4	6	19°18′N 166°38′E	2009 January 6	1899 January 17
Johnston AtollB	2.52	130	16°45′N 169°31′W	1926 July 29	1859 September 6
Northern Pacific Ocean, Northwestern Hawaiian Islands
Midway Atoll	5.18	40	28°13′N 177°22′W	1996 November 1	1867 August 28
Central Pacific Ocean, Northern Line Islands
Kingman Reef	0.01	76	6°24′N 162°24′W	2001 January 18	1860 February 8
Palmyra AtollB	6.56	15	5°53′N 162°05′W	2001 January 18	1912 February 21
Central Pacific Ocean, Central Line Islands
Jarvis Island	4.45	-	0°22′S 160°01′W	1974 June 27	1856 October 28
Central Pacific Ocean, Northern Phoenix Islands
Baker Island	1.24	-	0°12′N 176°29′W	1974 June 27	1856 October 28
Howland Island	1.62	-	0°48′N 176°37′W	1974 June 27	1856 October 28
Caribbean Sea
Navassa IslandC	5.2	-	18°24′N 75°01′W	1999 December 3	1858 October 31
Bajo Nuevo BankD	0.02	155	15°53′N 78°38′W	N/A	1869 November 22
Serranilla BankD	0.02	1200	15°50′N 79°50′W	N/A	1879 September 8 1880 September 13
U.S. Minor Outlying Islands	34.2	267
A Claimed by the Marshall Islands

Images for kids

• 

  Brown boobies atop pier posts at Johnston Atoll, September 2005