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Archipelago

    Laysan

    Kauō

    25°46′N 171°44′W

    Laysan (; Hawaiian: Kauō [kɐwˈoː]) is one of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, located 808 nautical miles (930 mi; 1,496 km) northwest of Honolulu. 4 km) in size. 9 ft) above sea level, that has a salinity approximately three times greater than the ocean. Laysan's Hawaiian name, Kauō, means "egg".

    Aerial view of Laysan Island, Northwestern Hawaiian Islands
    Aerial view of Laysan Island, Northwestern Hawaiian Islands

    Robert J. Shallenberger, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service / Public domain

    Terrain

    25°46′N 171°44′W

    Terrain exaggerated for relief. Drag to look around.

    Overview

    Laysan (; Hawaiian: Kauō [kɐwˈoː]) is one of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, located 808 nautical miles (930 mi; 1,496 km) northwest of Honolulu. It has one land mass of 1,016 acres (411 ha), about 1 by 1+1⁄2 miles (1.6 by 2.4 km) in size. It is an atoll of sorts, although the land completely surrounds Laysan Lake, some 2.4 m (7.9 ft) above sea level, that has a salinity approximately three times greater than the ocean. Laysan's Hawaiian name, Kauō, means "egg". It was mined for guano in the late 19th century and early 1900s, which resulted in the release of rabbits who had been brought in for food. After mining ceased, the rabbits ate up the natural vegetation causing dozens of plant and one bird species to go extinct. The rabbits were removed by 1923, and the island has been a nature reserve since. The island is the home of the rarest duck in the world, the Laysan Duck.

    From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Chart

    Nearest islands

    Also in Northwestern Hawaiian Islands

    Also in Hawaiian Islands

    • Hawaii

      10,435 km²▲ 4,205 m

      Major islands

    • Maui

      1,884 km²▲ 3,055 m

      Major islands

    • Oahu

      1,550 km²▲ 1,229 m

      Major islands

    • Kauaʻi

      1,439 km²▲ 1,587 m

      Major islands

    • Molokaʻi

      675 km²▲ 1,506 m

      Major islands

    • Lanai

      365 km²▲ 1,026 m

      Major islands

    • Niʻihau

      186 km²▲ 381 m

      Major islands

    • Kahoolawe

      115 km²▲ 79 m

      Minor islands

    Sources

    Facts

    • Geometry, areas and high points: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Copernicus GLO-30, via Talus.
    • Talus
    • Wikidata
    • Wikipedia

    Photographs