1993 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1993 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 5.2 km2 land area: 5.2 km2 comparative area: about nine times the size of the Mall in Washington, DC
Climate
marine, tropical
Coastline
8 km
Environment
mostly exposed rock, but enough grassland to support goat herds; dense stands of fig-like trees, scattered cactus
International disputes
claimed by Haiti
Irrigated land
0 km2
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 10% forest and woodland: 0% other: 90%
Location
in the Caribbean Sea, 160 km south of the US Naval Base at Guantanamo (Cuba), between Cuba, Haiti, and Jamaica
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims
contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 m or depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
guano
Note
strategic location 160 km south of the US Naval Base at Guantanamo, Cuba
Terrain
raised coral and limestone plateau, flat to undulating; ringed by vertical white cliffs (9 to 15 meters high)
People and Society
Population
uninhabited; note - transient Haitian fishermen and others camp on the island
Government
Capital
none; administered from Washington, DC
Digraph
BQ
Names
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Navassa Island
Type
unincorporated territory of the US administered by the US Coast Guard
Economy
Overview
no economic activity
Communications
Ports
none; offshore anchorage only
Military and Security
Note
defense is the responsibility of the US