Howland Island

Between the Marshall Islands, Nauru and Kiribati is a completely flat small island, shaped like a cucumber. This is Howland Island - one of the most feral and deserted islands on the planet. It was discovered in 1822 by American whalers, who were the first to attempt to inhabit a piece of land. There was a project that would turn Howland into an intermediate airfield for long trans-Pacific flights. But the plans for colonization came to naught and all the buildings were destroyed by Japanese troops.

The island is associated with the mysterious story of Amelia Earhart. In 1937, the famous aviator went on a round-the-world flight adhering to the equator line, thus choosing the longest route. In three months, it circled almost the entire globe. On July 2, her plane took off from New Guinea, heading for Howland. But officials who met the pilot at the final point of her journey waited in vain. Not far from the island radio communication was interrupted and the plane disappeared without a trace. The ship that was going to meet her did not notice anything. The disappearance of Amelia Earhart remains a mystery.

No plane has ever landed on the island. The runway gradually overgrown with grass and for a long time only feral cats lived on the territory. Today on the island is a bird reserve with nesting terns, booby, petrels and frigates. Getting to Howland Island is almost impossible and requires special permission from the Honolulu Fish and Wildlife Service.