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Archipelago

    Malden Island

    Wyspa Malden

    4°01′S 154°56′W

    Malden Island, sometimes called Independence Island in the 19th century, is a low, arid, uninhabited atoll in the central Pacific Ocean, about 39 km2 (15 sq mi) in area. It is one of the Line Islands belonging to the Republic of Kiribati.

    Boat landing area on Malden Island, Line Islands, Kiribati.
    Boat landing area on Malden Island, Line Islands, Kiribati.

    Angela K. Kepler / Public domain

    Terrain

    4°01′S 154°56′W

    Terrain exaggerated for relief. Drag to look around.

    Overview

    Malden Island, sometimes called Independence Island in the 19th century, is a low, arid, uninhabited atoll in the central Pacific Ocean, about 39 km2 (15 sq mi) in area. It is one of the Line Islands belonging to the Republic of Kiribati. The lagoon is entirely enclosed by land, though it is connected to the sea by underground channels, and is quite salty. The island is chiefly notable for its ancient stone architecture, its once-extensive deposits of phosphatic guano (exploited by Australian interests from c. 1860–1927), its former use as the site of the first British H-bomb tests (Operation Grapple, 1957), and its current importance as a protected area for breeding seabirds. The island is designated as the Malden Island Wildlife Sanctuary. In 2014 the Kiribati government established a 12-nautical-mile (14 mi; 22 km) fishing exclusion zone around each of the southern Line Islands (Caroline (commonly called Millennium), Flint, Vostok, Malden, and Starbuck).

    From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Chart

    Nearest islands

    Also in Central Line Islands

    Also in Line Islands

    • Kiritimati

      546 km²▲ 13 m

      Major islands

    • Starbuck Island

      24.8 km²▲ 9 m

      Minor islands

    • Tabuaeran

      17.4 km²▲ 27 m

      Minor islands

    • Teraina

      14.5 km²▲ 30 m

      Minor islands

    • Unnamed island

      10.1 km²▲ 29 m

      Minor islands

    • Unnamed island

      10 km²▲ 24 m

      Minor islands

    • Jarvis Island

      4.5 km²▲ 7 m

      Minor islands

    • Palmyra Atoll

      3.9 km²▲ 2 m

      Minor islands

    Also in Kiribati

    • Tabukaokao

      586 km²▲ 10 m

      Major islands

    • Kiritimati

      546 km²▲ 13 m

      Major islands

    • Abanekeneke

      99.9 km²▲ 21 m

      Major islands

    • Tarawa

      31 km²▲ 2 m

      Major islands

    • Starbuck Island

      24.8 km²▲ 9 m

      Major islands

    • Tabiteuea

      22.5 km²▲ 18 m

      Major islands

    • Nonouti

      21 km²▲ 3 m

      Major islands

    • Unnamed island

      20.7 km²▲ 19 m

      Major islands

    Also in Micronesia

    • Federated States of Micronesia

      702 km²

      Major islands

    • Tabukaokao

      586 km²▲ 10 m

      Major islands

    • Kiritimati

      546 km²▲ 13 m

      Major islands

    • Guam

      543 km²▲ 406 m

      Major islands

    • Palau

      466 km²

      Major islands

    • Saipan

      119 km²▲ 474 m

      Major islands

    • Tinian

      101 km²▲ 181 m

      Major islands

    • Abanekeneke

      99.9 km²▲ 21 m

      Major islands

    Also in Polynesia

    • New Zealand

      268,021 km²

      Major islands

    • Samoa

      2,842 km²

      Minor islands

    • Rangiroa

      1,446 km²▲ 12 m

      Minor islands

    • Fakarava

      1,112 km²

      Minor islands

    • Tonga

      749 km²

      Minor islands

    • Hao

      720 km²▲ 3 m

      Minor islands

    • Apataki

      706 km²

      Minor islands

    • Makemo

      603 km²

      Minor islands

    Also in Leeward Islands

    • New Zealand

      268,021 km²

      Major islands

    • Samoa

      2,842 km²

      Minor islands

    • Rangiroa

      1,446 km²▲ 12 m

      Minor islands

    • Fakarava

      1,112 km²

      Minor islands

    • Tonga

      749 km²

      Minor islands

    • Hao

      720 km²▲ 3 m

      Minor islands

    • Apataki

      706 km²

      Minor islands

    • Makemo

      603 km²

      Minor islands

    Also in Society Islands

    • New Zealand

      268,021 km²

      Major islands

    • Samoa

      2,842 km²

      Minor islands

    • Rangiroa

      1,446 km²▲ 12 m

      Minor islands

    • Fakarava

      1,112 km²

      Minor islands

    • Tahiti

      1,044 km²▲ 2,241 m

      Minor islands

    • Tonga

      749 km²

      Minor islands

    • Hao

      720 km²▲ 3 m

      Minor islands

    • Apataki

      706 km²

      Minor islands

    Also in Pacific Islands

    • New Guinea

      774,566 km²▲ 4,884 m

      Major islands

    • Japan

      377,974 km²

      Major islands

    • New Zealand

      268,021 km²

      Major islands

    • Honshu

      227,970 km²▲ 3,776 m

      Major islands

    • Luzon

      104,935 km²▲ 2,928 m

      Major islands

    • Mindanao

      93,885 km²▲ 2,954 m

      Major islands

    • Hokkaido

      77,983 km²▲ 2,291 m

      Minor islands

    • Sakhalin

      74,571 km²▲ 1,609 m

      Minor islands

    Sources

    Facts

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

    Photographs