Palmyra Atoll

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Palmyra Atoll (; formally the Palmyra Atoll Territory), or Palmyra Island, is a small, low-lying, uninhabited atoll in the central Pacific Ocean that is a Territory of the United States and insular area; it is the only officially incorporated territory in the Union. It is one of the Northern Line Islands (southeast of Kingman Reef and north of Kiribati), and is located almost due south of the Hawaiian Islands, roughly one-third of the way between Hawaii and American Samoa. North America is about 3,300 miles (5,300 kilometers) northeast and New Zealand the same distance southwest, placing Palmyra Atoll at the approximate center of the Pacific Ocean. The land area is 4.6 sq mi (12 km2), with about 9 miles (14 km) of sea-facing coastline and reef. There is one boat anchorage, known as West Lagoon, accessible from the sea by a narrow artificial channel and an old airstrip; during World War II it was turned into a Naval Air Station for several years and used for training and refueling. It was...

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