Navassa Island is a small, uninhabited island located between Haiti, Jamaica, and Cuba. Originally acquired for its guano resources, today, Navassa is of no apparent use to the United States. A review of the island’s history and geography suggests several possibilities for Navassa’s future and America’s own interests in this remote territory.
Situated near the southern end of the Windward Passage, uninhabited Navassa Island is two square miles of wind-beaten brush struggling to grow among limestone and long-dead coral. Forty miles from Haiti, 85 from Jamaica, and 130 from Cuba, its waters can be reached by mariners with relative ease. However, Navassa’s abrupt, sharp coral cliffs prevent easy access to its terrain. Today, the only regular visitors are fisherman from Haiti’s southwest coast, who rarely make landfall. Navassa is a harsh and unappealing place. It is also American territory.