Wake Island

Wake Island is in the Pacific Ocean.

It is a group of small islands. These islands sit around a blue lagoon.

The land has trees and grass. It is often very dry there. Many seabirds fly to the island to rest.

Long ago, planes used the island to stop. Now, the United States looks after the land. About 300 people stay there at a time.

It is a very special place in the sea.

Wake Island is a coral atoll in the Pacific Ocean.

An atoll is a ring of islands around a lagoon. This place has three small islands: Wake, Wilkes, and Peale.

The islands sit near the Marshall Islands.

The land is often dry. It has tropical trees, scrub, and grasses. Many seabirds visit the atoll. Most nest in a bird sanctuary on Wilkes Island.

Thousands of hermit crabs and rats live here too. A small bird called the Wake Island rail once lived here. It is now extinct, which means it is gone forever.

Many people have visited Wake Island over the years. In 1935, a company built an airfield and a hotel. Planes used the island as a stopover. During World War II, Japan took control of the island. The United States took it back in 1945.

Today, the United States manages the island. There are no permanent residents. About 300 people stay there at any time. Most are military workers or contractors.

Wake Island is a coral atoll in the Pacific Ocean.

An atoll is a ring of land made of coral that surrounds a lagoon. This atoll is made of three small islands called Wake, Wilkes, and Peale.

It sits in the Micronesia subregion of the ocean. The nearest inhabited place is the Utirik Atoll in the Marshall Islands. The islands are surrounded by a coral reef.

The area is a part of the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument.

The island has a very specific kind of nature. It is a mix of tropical trees, scrub, and grasses. These plants have adapted to live with very little rainfall.

Thousands of hermit crabs and rats live on the atoll. In the past, cats were brought there to help control the rats. At one time, people thought there were 2 million rats on the island. A small bird called the Wake Island rail once lived here. Sadly, that bird became extinct during World War II. Many seabirds still visit, but most nest in a special sanctuary on Wilkes Island.

Many different people have visited or claimed the island. Spanish explorer Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira first recorded it in 1568. He named it St Francis Island. Later, Captain Samuel Wake visited in 1796 and gave it its current name.

In 1899, the United States claimed the island. In 1935, Pan American Airways built a hotel and an airfield.

The island became a place where flying boats could stop during long trips across the ocean.

Wake Island saw much change during the 1940s. In December 1941, Japan seized the island at the start of the Pacific Theatre of World War II. Japan kept control of the atoll until September 1945. After the war, the island changed uses again. In 1972, Pan American Airways stopped using it for stops. This was because Boeing 747 planes could fly across the ocean without stopping. Later, the United States Air Force took over the management of the land.

Today, the island is an unorganized and unincorporated territory of the United States. It is part of the United States Minor Outlying Islands. The Department of the Interior and the Air Force manage the area.

There are no permanent residents living there. However, about 300 people are on the island at any one time. These people are mostly military personnel or contractors. Even though it is quiet, it remains an important place in the Pacific.

Wake Island, also known as Wake Atoll, is a coral atoll located in the Micronesia subregion of the Pacific Ocean.

An atoll is a ring-shaped coral reef that encircles a central lagoon. This specific atoll is composed of three distinct islets: Wake, Wilkes, and Peale Islands.

These islands surround a large lagoon and are protected by a surrounding coral reef.

The nearest inhabited land is the Utirik Atoll, which is part of the Marshall Islands to the southeast. Today, the atoll is part of the United States Minor Outlying Islands. It is managed by the United States Air Force and the Department of the Interior.

The natural environment of the atoll is shaped by its remote location and limited freshwater. The landscape consists of a mix of tropical trees, scrub, and various grasses. These plants have evolved to survive in areas with very little rainfall.

The animal population includes thousands of hermit crabs and rats. In the past, the rat population was estimated to be as high as 2 million. To manage this, cats were once introduced to the island to control the rats. The atoll is also home to many seabird species. Because of the thick vegetation, most birds now nest in a protected bird sanctuary on Wilkes Island. One notable species, the Wake Island rail, was a small flightless bird. Sadly, this bird became extinct during the period of World War II.

Human history on the atoll began long before recorded explorers arrived. The presence of the Polynesian rat suggests that prehistoric Austronesian mariners likely visited the islands. Marshallese oral traditions also mention the place as "Ānen Kio," or the "island of the orange flower." In these stories, men visited the atoll to collect albatross bones for tattooing rituals. Some researchers believe Marshall Islanders used the atoll as a game preserve for hunting and gathering. However, the lack of fresh water likely prevented anyone from living there permanently. No ancient artifacts have been found to confirm long-term habitation.

The first recorded discovery by Europeans occurred on October 2, 1568. The Spanish explorer Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira found the island during an expedition from Peru.

He named it St Francis Island because the discovery fell on the eve of the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi. He described it as a low, barren island with nothing but sea birds and sandy places. In 1796, the atoll was renamed after British sea captain Samuel Wake.

Other islands in the atoll were named after explorers like Titian Peale and Charles Wilkes. Wilkes led a U.S. Navy expedition to the atoll in 1841 and described its triangular form and large lagoon.

In the late 19th century, the United States began to take an interest in the atoll. The U.S. saw Wake Island as a strategic location for telegraph cables and coaling stations. These stations allowed warships and merchant ships to refuel while traveling between Honolulu and Manila. On January 17, 1899, Commander Edward D. Taussig formally claimed the island for the United States.

This annexation changed the island from an unclaimed territory to a U.S. possession. Later, in 1935, Pan American Airways began significant development. They built an airfield and a hotel to serve as a stopover for trans-Pacific flying boats.

World War II brought significant conflict to the atoll. In December 1941, Japan seized Wake Island at the start of the Pacific Theatre. The island remained under Japanese occupation until the end of the war in September 1945. During this time, the atoll saw heavy fighting and bombing.

After the war, the island's role changed again. In 1972, Pan American Airways stopped using the island for layovers. This was because new Boeing 747 aircraft could fly across the ocean without needing to stop. The United States Air Force then took over the administration of the atoll.

Today, Wake Island serves several different purposes. While there are no permanent residents, about 300 people live there at any given time. These individuals are primarily military personnel or contractors. The atoll is also recognized for its environmental importance. The submerged and emergent lands are part of the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument. This helps protect the coral reefs and the diverse marine life in the area. The island remains a unique link between the history of Pacific exploration and modern military operations.