Baker Island, Coral reef in Pacific Ocean, United States
Baker Island is an uninhabited coral atoll in the Pacific Ocean, forming part of the United States Minor Outlying Islands and serving as a national wildlife refuge for seabirds. The flat formation sits barely above sea level, surrounded by extensive reefs that disappear underwater at high tide, leaving only patches of sand exposed.
The United States took control of the atoll in the mid-19th century because of guano deposits, which were mined for several decades. During World War II, the military built a temporary airstrip and several structures, later abandoned and slowly reclaimed by the ocean.
The designation of Baker Island as a National Wildlife Refuge in 1974 reflects the commitment to preserve natural marine environments in the Pacific.
Access is restricted to authorized researchers and agency staff who require permits for environmental monitoring. There are no facilities or freshwater sources, so all supplies and provisions must be brought in.
Remnants of an old control tower stand beside rusted oil drums and metal debris half-buried in the sand. The abandoned airstrip is washed over by saltwater and regularly flooded during storms.
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