Enderbury Island, Uninhabited coral atoll in the Phoenix Islands, Kiribati.
Enderbury Island is a small coral atoll covering approximately 4 square miles (10 square kilometers) with low-lying terrain that reaches elevations between 15 and 22 feet (4.6 and 6.7 meters) above sea level and features sparse vegetation including shrubs, bunchgrass, and scattered coconut palms.
British whaleship captain James J. Coffin discovered the island in 1823 and named it after Samuel Enderby, a London whaling company owner, and American companies extensively mined guano deposits here from the 1860s until operations ceased in 1877.
The island has never supported a permanent indigenous population and remains uninhabited today, serving primarily as a site for scientific research and conservation efforts rather than for any cultural or traditional human activities.
Access to Enderbury Island is restricted to authorized research teams and conservation personnel, requiring prior permission from Kiribati authorities, with no tourist facilities, scheduled transport, or accommodation available on this remote and protected atoll.
The coral reefs surrounding Enderbury Island represent some of the most intact examples of ancient reef conditions from approximately one thousand years ago, providing scientists with valuable baseline data for studying marine ecosystem changes over time.
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