# List of Guano Island claims

A number of islands were claimed as insular areas on behalf of the United States under the Guano Islands Act of 1856. These claims were made by private individuals to the U.S. Department of State and were not accepted by the United States unless certain conditions were met. The islands had to be unoccupied and outside the jurisdiction of another government; the claims also had to be bonded before the U.S. government would consider them insular areas of the country. As of 2023, only the eight islands administered as the US Minor Islands and the ones now part of Hawaii and American Samoa remain under the jurisdiction of the United States. Any other unresolved claims, if they exist, are dormant, and have not been contested by the United States in many years with the exception of Navassa.

## Table

| Island | Region | Alternate name | Coordinates | Current status | Resolution of U.S. claim |
| Alto Velo Island | Caribbean | Alta Vela Island | 17°28′42″N 71°38′05″W﻿ / ﻿17.47833°N 71.63472°W﻿ / 17.47833; -71.63472﻿ (Alto Velo Island) | Dominican Republic | Claim rejected with U.S. acknowledging Dominican claims. See Alto Velo Claim. |
| Atafu | Oceania | Duke of York Group | 8°33′06″S 172°30′03″W﻿ / ﻿8.55167°S 172.50083°W﻿ / -8.55167; -172.50083﻿ (Atafu) | Tokelau | Claim bonded in 1860, but was never acted upon. Britain claimed in 1899. Final renouncement of any U.S. claim with Treaty of Tokehega |
| Bajo Nuevo Bank | Caribbean | Petrel Islands | 15°53′N 78°38′W﻿ / ﻿15.883°N 78.633°W﻿ / 15.883; -78.633﻿ (Bajo Nuevo Bank) | Colombia(Disputed) | Remains in place as an unincorporated territory. De facto administered by Colombia, and also claimed by Jamaica and Nicaragua. |
| Baker Island | Oceania | New Nantucket | 0°11′41″N 176°28′46″W﻿ / ﻿0.19472°N 176.47944°W﻿ / 0.19472; -176.47944﻿ (Baker Island) | US Minor Islands | Unincorporated territory |
| Birnie Island | Oceania | | 3°35′S 171°33′W﻿ / ﻿3.583°S 171.550°W﻿ / -3.583; -171.550﻿ (Birnie Island) | Kiribati | Treaty of Tarawa |
| Butaritari | Oceania | Makin Atoll, Makin Island, Touching Island | 3°10′04″N 172°49′33″E﻿ / ﻿3.16778°N 172.82583°E﻿ / 3.16778; 172.82583﻿ (Butaritari) | Kiribati | Treaty of Tarawa |
| Caroline Island | Oceania | Millennium Island | 9°56′13″S 150°12′42″W﻿ / ﻿9.93694°S 150.21167°W﻿ / -9.93694; -150.21167﻿ (Caroline Island) | Kiribati | Treaty of Tarawa |
| Carondelet Reef | Oceania | | 5°34′S 173°51′W﻿ / ﻿5.567°S 173.850°W﻿ / -5.567; -173.850﻿ (Carondelet Reef) | Kiribati | Treaty of Tarawa |
| Clipperton Island | Pacific Ocean | Passion Island | 10°18′N 109°13′W﻿ / ﻿10.300°N 109.217°W﻿ / 10.300; -109.217﻿ (Clipperton Island) | France | U.S. claim never bonded with the U.S. acknowledging France's claim. French and Mexican dispute settled via arbitration in France's favor by King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy in 1931. See Clipperton Island case. |
| Cayo Arenas | Gulf of Mexico | Arenas Key; Arenas Island | 22°07′N 91°24′W﻿ / ﻿22.117°N 91.400°W﻿ / 22.117; -91.400﻿ (Cayo Arenas) | Mexico | Bond filed and approved in 1881; US claim renounced in 1894. |
| Ducie Island | Oceania | | 24°40′09″S 124°47′11″W﻿ / ﻿24.66917°S 124.78639°W﻿ / -24.66917; -124.78639﻿ (Ducie Island) | British Territory | Never bonded. Administered by Pitcairn Islands. |
| Enderbury Island | Oceania | Guano Island | 3°08′S 171°05′W﻿ / ﻿3.133°S 171.083°W﻿ / -3.133; -171.083﻿ (Enderbury Island) | Kiribati | Treaty of Tarawa |
| Fakaofo | Oceania | Bowditch Island | 9°21′55″S 171°12′54″W﻿ / ﻿9.36528°S 171.21500°W﻿ / -9.36528; -171.21500﻿ (Fakaofo) | Tokelau | No formal claim filed; however, any U.S. claim renounced in Treaty of Tokehega |
| Flint Island | Oceania | | 11°25′48″S 151°49′9″W﻿ / ﻿11.43000°S 151.81917°W﻿ / -11.43000; -151.81917﻿ (Flint Island) | Kiribati | Treaty of Tarawa |
| French Frigate Shoals | Oceania | Kānemilohaʻi | 23°44′56″N 166°8′46″W﻿ / ﻿23.74889°N 166.14611°W﻿ / 23.74889; -166.14611﻿ (French Frigate Shoals) | Hawaii | Assumed sole competing claim through annexation of Hawaii (1898); included in State of Hawaii (1959). |
| Funafuti | Oceania | Ellice's Group | 8°31′S 179°13′E﻿ / ﻿8.517°S 179.217°E﻿ / -8.517; 179.217﻿ (Funafuti) | Tuvalu | Tuvalu–US Treaty of 1983 |
| Howland Island | Oceania | Worth Island | 0°48′07″N 176°38′3″W﻿ / ﻿0.80194°N 176.63417°W﻿ / 0.80194; -176.63417﻿ (Howland Island) | US Minor Islands | Unincorporated territory |
| Isla de Aves | Caribbean | Isla de Aves | 15°40′18″N 63°36′59″W﻿ / ﻿15.67167°N 63.61639°W﻿ / 15.67167; -63.61639﻿ (Isla Aves) | Venezuela | United States–Venezuela Maritime Boundary Treaty |
| Îles du Connétable | Atlantic Ocean | Constable Islands | 4°49′25″N 51°56′11″W﻿ / ﻿4.82361°N 51.93639°W﻿ / 4.82361; -51.93639﻿ (Iles du Connétable) | France | Rescinded. Administered by French Guiana. |
| Jarvis Island | Oceania | Bunker Island | 0°22′S 160°01′W﻿ / ﻿0.367°S 160.017°W﻿ / -0.367; -160.017﻿ (Jarvis Island) | US Minor Islands | Unincorporated territory |
| Johnston Atoll | Oceania | | 16°44′13″N 169°31′26″W﻿ / ﻿16.73694°N 169.52389°W﻿ / 16.73694; -169.52389﻿ (Johnston Atoll) | US Minor Islands | Unincorporated territory |
| Kanton Island | Oceania | Canton Island | 2°50′S 171°40′W﻿ / ﻿2.833°S 171.667°W﻿ / -2.833; -171.667﻿ (Kanton Island) | Kiribati | Treaty of Tarawa |
| Kingman Reef | Oceania | Danger Rock | 6°24′N 162°24′W﻿ / ﻿6.400°N 162.400°W﻿ / 6.400; -162.400﻿ (Kingman Reef) | US Minor Islands | Unincorporated territory |
| Kiritimati | Oceania | Christmas Island | 1°52′N 157°24′W﻿ / ﻿1.867°N 157.400°W﻿ / 1.867; -157.400﻿ (Kiritimati) | Kiribati | Treaty of Tarawa |
| Lacepede Islands | Oceania | Lacapade [sic] Islands | 16°51′55″S 122°08′12″E﻿ / ﻿16.86528°S 122.13667°E﻿ / -16.86528; 122.13667﻿ (Lacepede Islands) | Australia | Claim made on 26 June 1876; repudiated by US government in 1877. |
| Makin (atoll) | Oceania | Little Makin | 3°23′00″N 173°00′00″E﻿ / ﻿3.38333°N 173.00000°E﻿ / 3.38333; 173.00000﻿ (Makin (islands)) | Kiribati | Treaty of Tarawa |
| Malden Island | Oceania | Independence Island | 4°01′S 154°56′W﻿ / ﻿4.017°S 154.933°W﻿ / -4.017; -154.933﻿ (Malden Island) | Kiribati | Treaty of Tarawa |
| Manihiki | Oceania | Island of Pearls | 10°24′S 161°00′W﻿ / ﻿10.400°S 161.000°W﻿ / -10.400; -161.000﻿ (Manihiki) | Cook Islands | Cook Islands–United States Maritime Boundary Treaty |
| Manra | Oceania | Sydney Island | 4°27′S 171°16′W﻿ / ﻿4.450°S 171.267°W﻿ / -4.450; -171.267﻿ (Manra Island) | Kiribati | Treaty of Tarawa |
| McKean Island | Oceania | Wigram Island | 3°35′S 174°02′W﻿ / ﻿3.583°S 174.033°W﻿ / -3.583; -174.033﻿ (McKean Island) | Kiribati | Treaty of Tarawa |
| Midway Atoll | Oceania | Middlebrook Islands | 28°12′N 177°21′W﻿ / ﻿28.200°N 177.350°W﻿ / 28.200; -177.350﻿ (Midway Atoll) | US Minor Islands | Unincorporated territory |
| Minami-Tori-shima | Oceania | Marcus Island | 24°18′N 153°58′E﻿ / ﻿24.300°N 153.967°E﻿ / 24.300; 153.967﻿ (Minami Torishima) | Japan | Returned to Japan in 1968 after it had been given to US by Treaty of San Francisco |
| Navassa Island | Caribbean | Navaza | 18°24′10″N 75°0′45″W﻿ / ﻿18.40278°N 75.01250°W﻿ / 18.40278; -75.01250﻿ (Navassa Island) | US Minor Islands(Disputed) | Administered by the United States as an unincorporated territory and one of the US Minor Islands. Also claimed by Haiti. |
| Nikumaroro | Oceania | Gardner Island | 4°40′S 174°31′W﻿ / ﻿4.667°S 174.517°W﻿ / -4.667; -174.517﻿ (Nikumaroro) | Kiribati | Treaty of Tarawa |
| Niulakita | Oceania | Sophia Island, Rocky Island, Nurakita | 10°45′S 179°30′E﻿ / ﻿10.750°S 179.500°E﻿ / -10.750; 179.500﻿ (Niulakita) | Tuvalu | Tuvalu–US Treaty of 1983 |
| Nukufetau | Oceania | De Peyster's Group | 8°00′S 178°30′E﻿ / ﻿8.000°S 178.500°E﻿ / -8.000; 178.500﻿ (Nukufetau) | Tuvalu | Tuvalu–US Treaty of 1983 |
| Nukulaelae | Oceania | Mitchell's Group | 9°22′52″S 179°51′08″E﻿ / ﻿9.38111°S 179.85222°E﻿ / -9.38111; 179.85222﻿ (Nukulaelae) | Tuvalu | Tuvalu–US Treaty of 1983 |
| Nukunonu | Oceania | Duke of Clarence Island | 9°10′06″S 171°48′35″W﻿ / ﻿9.16833°S 171.80972°W﻿ / -9.16833; -171.80972﻿ (Nukunonu) | Tokelau | Claim bonded in 1860, but was never acted upon. Britain claimed in 1899. Final renouncement of any U.S. claim with Treaty of Tokehega |
| Orona | Oceania | Hull Island | 4°30′S 172°10′W﻿ / ﻿4.500°S 172.167°W﻿ / -4.500; -172.167﻿ (Orona) | Kiribati | Treaty of Tarawa |
| Palmyra Atoll | Oceania | | 5°53′N 162°5′W﻿ / ﻿5.883°N 162.083°W﻿ / 5.883; -162.083﻿ (Palmyra Atoll) | US Minor Islands | Incorporated territory. U.S. assumed sole competing claim through annexation of Hawaii (1898), but not included in State of Hawaii (1959). |
| Penrhyn Island | Oceania | Tongareva | 9°00′20″S 157°58′10″W﻿ / ﻿9.00556°S 157.96944°W﻿ / -9.00556; -157.96944﻿ (Penrhyn Island) | Cook Islands | Cook Islands–United States Maritime Boundary Treaty |
| Providence Island | Indian Ocean | | 9°13′7″S 51°1′47″E﻿ / ﻿9.21861°S 51.02972°E﻿ / -9.21861; 51.02972﻿ (Providence Island) | Seychelles | Claim never bonded. Administered by Seychelles. |
| Pukapuka | Oceania | San Bernardo Island | 10°53′S 165°40′W﻿ / ﻿10.883°S 165.667°W﻿ / -10.883; -165.667﻿ (Pukapuka) | Cook Islands | Cook Islands–United States Maritime Boundary Treaty |
| Quita Sueño Bank | Caribbean | Quitasueño | 14°19′N 81°10′W﻿ / ﻿14.317°N 81.167°W﻿ / 14.317; -81.167﻿ (Quita Sueño Bank) | Colombia | Vásquez–Saccio Treaty of 1972 |
| Rakahanga | Oceania | Grand Duke Alexander Island | 10°02′S 161°05′W﻿ / ﻿10.033°S 161.083°W﻿ / -10.033; -161.083﻿ (Rakahanga) | Cook Islands | Cook Islands–United States Maritime Boundary Treaty |
| Rawaki Island | Oceania | Phoenix Island | 3°42′40″S 170°42′43″W﻿ / ﻿3.71111°S 170.71194°W﻿ / -3.71111; -170.71194﻿ (Rawaki Island) | Kiribati | Treaty of Tarawa |
| Roncador Bank | Caribbean | | 13°34′N 80°05′W﻿ / ﻿13.567°N 80.083°W﻿ / 13.567; -80.083﻿ (Roncador Bank) | Colombia | Vásquez–Saccio Treaty of 1972 |
| Scorpion Reef | Gulf of Mexico | Arrecife Alacranes (Isla Pérez, Isla Chica, Isla Pájaros) | 22°24′N 89°42′W﻿ / ﻿22.400°N 89.700°W﻿ / 22.400; -89.700﻿ (Scorpion Reef) | Mexico | The islets of Pájaros, Pérez, and Chica were bonded in 1884. In response to a protest by Mexico, the U.S. claims were abandoned in 1894. |
| Serrana Bank | Caribbean | | 14°20′N 80°20′W﻿ / ﻿14.333°N 80.333°W﻿ / 14.333; -80.333﻿ (Serrana Bank) | Colombia | Vásquez–Saccio Treaty of 1972 |
| Serranilla Bank | Caribbean | | 15°50′N 79°50′W﻿ / ﻿15.833°N 79.833°W﻿ / 15.833; -79.833﻿ (Serranilla Bank) | Colombia–Jamaica(Disputed) | Remains in place as an unincorporated territory. Colombia and Jamaica agreed to a condominium of Serranilla's exclusive economic zone; Nicaragua also lays claim. |
| Starbuck Island | Oceania | Volunteer Island | 5°37′S 155°56′W﻿ / ﻿5.617°S 155.933°W﻿ / -5.617; -155.933﻿ (Starbuck Island) | Kiribati | Treaty of Tarawa |
| Swains Island | Oceania | Olohega, Olosega, Quirós, Isla de la Gente Hermosa, Jennings Island | 11°03′20″S 171°04′40″W﻿ / ﻿11.05556°S 171.07778°W﻿ / -11.05556; -171.07778﻿ (Swains Island) | American Samoa(Disputed) | Occupied by an American since 1856. Bonded under the Guano Islands Act in 1860. Acknowledged as U.S. territory by Britain in 1910. In 1925 was incorporated into the territory of American Samoa. U.S. claim recognized by New Zealand in Treaty of Tokehega, but later disputed by Tokelau. |
| Swan Islands | Caribbean | Islas Santanilla | 17°24′38″N 83°55′19″W﻿ / ﻿17.41056°N 83.92194°W﻿ / 17.41056; -83.92194﻿ (Swan Islands) | Honduras | Honduras–US Treaty of 1972 |
| Tabuaeran | Oceania | Fanning Island | 3°51′36″N 159°21′52″W﻿ / ﻿3.86000°N 159.36444°W﻿ / 3.86000; -159.36444﻿ (Tabuaeran) | Kiribati | Treaty of Tarawa |
| Teraina | Oceania | Washington Island | 4°41′00″N 160°22′40″W﻿ / ﻿4.68333°N 160.37778°W﻿ / 4.68333; -160.37778﻿ (Teraina) | Kiribati | Treaty of Tarawa |
| Vostok Island | Oceania | Staver Island | 10°06′S 152°23′W﻿ / ﻿10.100°S 152.383°W﻿ / -10.100; -152.383﻿ (Vostok Island) | Kiribati | Treaty of Tarawa |
| Winslow Reef | Oceania | | 1°36′S 174°57′W﻿ / ﻿1.600°S 174.950°W﻿ / -1.600; -174.950﻿ (Winslow Reef) | Kiribati | Treaty of Tarawa |

## Images

* Guano tramway on Jarvis Island
* Hermit crabs on Baker Island
* Navassa Island Lighthouse
Download coordinates as:
* KML
* GPX (all coordinates)
* GPX (primary coordinates)
* GPX (secondary coordinates)