5 Facts of Navassa Island

Navassa Island is a small island in the Caribbean Sea situated between Jamaica and Haiti. The island is uninhabited. It is claimed by the US as part of its territory. The US Fish and Wildlife Service overlook the administration of the island. Haiti also makes the same claim, saying Navassa is part of their territory since 1801. There are less known facts about the island including the following:

5 Facts You Might Not Know

1

Coral and limestone islet. The island's terrain is largely composed of coral and limestone. Grasses do grow abundantly in the island, sufficient to feed its herbivore inhabitants ' the goats. It is surrounded by a white cliff made up of coral and limestone reaching up to 50 feet in height. The island was formed more than 5 million years ago.

2

Only four species of tree grow in the island. The island has a forest with only four tree species which are: poisonwood, mastic, short-leaf fig and pigeon plum.

3

Used to be a center of guano mining. The island was claimed by the US on September 19, 1857 through Peter Duncan. The Guano Islands Act was enforced on August 18, 1856 due to its rich guano deposits. Guano phosphate is an excellent fertilizer required by US agriculture industry at that time. Guano mining operations commenced in the island in 1865 carried out by Navassa Phosphate Company of Baltimore. The mining activities ended in 1898.

4

Nature reserve. A scientific expedition to the island in 1998 led to the discovery of its distinctive Caribbean biodiversity. Some 15 animal species are endemic to the island including plants, snails and lizards particularly a rare iguana thought to be extinct but is found in the island. A year later it was declared a National Wildlife Reserve. Scientific expeditions to the island still continue to this day.

5

Historic lighthouse. The US Lighthouse Service established the Navassa Island Light in 1917, a 46 meter lighthouse found on the south side of Navassa island. The lighthouse was dismantled on August 29, 1996. After its shutdown, Coast Guard also relinquished administration duties on the island to the Department of the Interior.