Baker Island

Orthographic projection over Baker Island

Baker Island is a small, uninhabited atoll located just north of the Equator in the central Pacific Ocean about 3,100 kilometers (1,675 nautical miles) southwest of Honolulu. The island is almost halfway between Hawaii and Australia. Its nearest neighbor is Howland Island, 42 nautical miles (78 km) to the north-northwest. Both islands are part of the United States Minor Outlying Islands, an unincorporated and unorganized territory of the United States.

Geography

Baker Island is a coral island that lies atop a submerged volcano. It has a land area of 1.64 square kilometers (0.63 sq mi) with 4.8 kilometers (3.0 mi) of coastline. The terrain is low-lying and sandy, with sparse vegetation primarily consisting of grasses and a few shrubs. The island is an important nesting site for seabirds and sea turtles, and it is surrounded by a wide coral reef that is exposed at low tide.

History

The island was discovered in 1818 by Captain Elisha Folger of the Nantucket whaling ship Equator, who named it after his ship. It was claimed by the United States in 1857 under the Guano Islands Act for its guano deposits, which were mined until the late 19th century. Subsequently, the island was abandoned and remained uninhabited until it was briefly occupied by the U.S. military during World War II. In 1935, an attempt to colonize the island as part of the American Equatorial Islands Colonization Project was made, but it was abandoned by 1942.

Flora and Fauna

The island's flora is limited due to the harsh, arid conditions. Vegetation consists mainly of grasses, prostrate vines, and low-growing shrubs. Baker Island is designated as a National Wildlife Refuge, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It provides a habitat for millions of seabirds, including species such as the sooty tern, brown noddy, and masked booby. The surrounding waters are home to a variety of marine life, including corals, fish, and sharks.

Legal Status

Baker Island is an unincorporated territory of the United States, administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior. There is no permanent human population. Access to the island is restricted, primarily for reasons of wildlife conservation and the protection of its fragile ecosystem. Activities on the island are coordinated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and any visitation requires a special use permit.

Climate

The climate of Baker Island is equatorial, with little variation in temperature throughout the year. The island experiences frequent cloud cover, but rainfall is sparse, making the environment relatively arid. Strong trade winds are common, and the island is subject to periodic droughts and tropical storms.

See Also

• Howland Island
• United States Minor Outlying Islands
• Guano Islands Act
• National Wildlife Refuge