Navassa Island Introduction 2001

Background: This uninhabited island was claimed by the US in 1857 for its guano, and mining took place between 1865 and 1898. The lighthouse, built in 1917, was shut down in 1996 and administration of Navassa Island transferred from the Coast Guard to the Department of the Interior. A 1998 scientific expedition to the island described it as a unique preserve of Caribbean biodiversity; the following year it became a National Wildlife Refuge.

NOTE: The information regarding Navassa Island on this page is re-published from the 2001 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Navassa Island Introduction 2001 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Navassa Island Introduction 2001 should be addressed to the CIA.