U.S. Outlying Islands

About U.S. Outlying Islands

The United States Minor Outlying Islands is composed of 8 islands in the Pacific Ocean, loosely clustered around Hawaii, and one island in the Caribbean Sea. All of the islands are unincorporated, unorganized territories of the United States, except for Palmyra Atoll which is an incorporated territory that was once part of Hawaii. The islands are grouped together for statistical convenience only. They do not share a similar history or culture, nor are they administered together as a group. The islands were grouped together and given the title ‘US Minor Outlying Islands’ in 1986.

Although there was an effort by the US government in 1936 to populate three of the islands, efforts were abandoned due to the outbreak of World War II.

Today, all the islands have no permanent population; they are only temporarily inhabited by those working on the islands as researchers or as military personnel. The islands are visited infrequently by tourists, with most travellers visiting the islands on tours from cruise ships. Travellers should note that some of the islands’ beaches are restricted for research purposes while other islands are designated as wildlife refuges, and as such, access to these areas is prohibited. There are multiple airports in the US Minor Outlying Islands however they are used almost exclusively for military purposes and emergency landings or stop-overs.

There are no diseases to report for these uninhabited islands. Ensure routine vaccinations are up to date.