Howland and Baker islands, Coral atolls in Pacific Ocean, United States Minor Outlying Islands.
Howland and Baker islands are two uninhabited coral atolls in the Pacific Ocean within United States Minor Outlying Islands, characterized by flat terrain and surrounding reef systems. Vegetation consists primarily of grasses and scattered shrubs across these isolated landmasses.
The United States claimed the islands in 1856 under the Guano Islands Act and operated mining activities for phosphate-rich fertilizer deposits until 1890. This economic venture drove early American expansion into this remote Pacific region.
The islands became linked with Amelia Earhart's disappearance in 1937, when her aircraft vanished near Howland Island, a mystery that continues to captivate public imagination.
Access requires permits from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the islands have no infrastructure or regular transportation services. Visitors should understand that no support or supply facilities exist on site.
These territories are located in the UTC-12:00 time zone, making them the last place on Earth where each calendar day ends. This extreme geographic position gives them a rare scientific and temporal distinction found in very few places globally.
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