Wonders of Jarvis Island

  Highlights

This uninhabited atoll is a possession of the United States. The elongated island is 4.5 km² large and is low lying – rising up to 7 m above the sea level. This atoll currently has no lagoon and is dry, without freshwater.

The central part of the island though had a lagoon in the past. Now it is filled with a thick layer of guano and is dry and thus represents an interesting geological phenomenon.

The island has scarce vegetation of grasses and rare low-growing shrubs. There is no evidence of prehistoric human settlements, but starting from the late 19th century it has been periodically inhabited by guano miners and in 1935 – 1942 there was even established a small settlement named Millersville. Remnants of all buildings were swept away without a trace by a very powerful storm in 1958, only day beacon remains.