The Ghost Territories: Why the Us Minor Outlying Islands Exist and Why Almost Nobody Lives There
The territories grouped under the collective UM classification differ sharply in geography, jurisdiction, and historical use. The following breakdown shows their operational reality:
| Territory Name | Geographic Region | Primary Administrator | Current Human Activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baker Island | Central Pacific (Phoenix Islands) | US Fish and Wildlife Service | Uninhabited; periodic conservation monitoring |
| Howland Island | Central Pacific (Phoenix Islands) | US Fish and Wildlife Service | Uninhabited; site of Amelia Earhart's unreached destination |
| Jarvis Island | Line Islands | US Fish and Wildlife Service | Uninhabited; strictly controlled scientific visits |
| Johnston Atoll | Central Pacific | US Fish and Wildlife Service / US Air Force | Automated weather stations; environmental remediation crews |
| Kingman Reef | Northern Line Islands | US Fish and Wildlife Service | Uninhabited; semi-submerged coral reef research |
| Midway Atoll | Northwestern Hawaiian Islands | US Fish and Wildlife Service | Rotational staff of 40, 50 wildlife biologists and contractors |
| Navassa Island | Caribbean Sea (between Haiti and Jamaica) | US Fish and Wildlife Service | Uninhabited; active sovereignty dispute with Haiti |
| Palmyra Atoll | Northern Line Islands | US Fish and Wildlife Service / The Nature Conservancy | Rotating staff of 15, 25 climate and coral researchers |
| Wake Island | Micronesia / North Pacific | US Air Force | 85, 150 rotating military and defense contractor personnel |
