Swains Island

Not to be confused with Swain's Island (Newfoundland and Labrador) or Swain Islands.

Swains Island
Disputed island
Olohega
Swains Island as seen from space
Swains Island is located in Oceania
Swains Island
Swains Island
Geography
LocationPacific Ocean
Coordinates11°03′20″S 171°04′40″W / 11.05556°S 171.07778°W / -11.05556; -171.07778
ArchipelagoTokelau
Area2.43[a] km2 (0.94 sq mi)
Administration
Territory American Samoa
Claimed by
 Tokelau
Demographics
Population0[3] (2020)
Map of the island
The flag of Swains Island was described as "Old Glory [...] but superimposed on the blue field was a white dove"[4][5] At the 2023 celebration marking the 98th anniversary of Swains Island being joined with America Samoa, the Swains Island flag was raised alongside the U.S. and American Samoan flags in Taulaga Village.[6]

Swains Island (/ˈsweɪnz/; Tokelauan: Olohega [oloˈhɛŋa]; Samoan: Olosega [oloˈsɛŋa]) is a remote coral atoll in the Tokelau volcanic island group in the South Pacific Ocean. Administered as part of American Samoa since 1925, the island is subject to an ongoing territorial dispute between Tokelau and the United States.[7][8][2]

Privately owned by the family of Eli Hutchinson Jennings since 1856,[9] Swains Island was used as a copra plantation until 1967.[2] It has not been permanently inhabited since 2008, but continues to be visited by members of the Jennings family, scientific researchers, and amateur radio operators.[2][10][11][12][13][14]

The island is located 180 km (97 nmi; 112 mi) south of Fakaofo (Tokelau) and 300 km (162 nmi; 186 mi) north of Savai‘i (Samoa). The land area is 2.43 km2 (0.94 sq mi),[1] and the total area including the lagoon is 3.5 km2 (1.4 sq mi).[2]

  1. ^ a b Population, Housing Units, Land Area, and Density by Place for American Samoa: 2010, U.S. Census Bureau.
  2. ^ a b c d e Van Tilburg, Hans K.; Herdrich, David J.; Suka, Rhonda; Lawrence, Matthew; Filimoehala, Christopher; Gandulla, Stephanie (September 2013). Unlocking the Secrets of Swains Island: a Maritime Heritage Resources Survey (PDF). Maritime Heritage Program Series: Number 6. Silver Spring, Maryland: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  3. ^ Population of American Samoa: 2010 and 2020, U.S. Census Bureau.
  4. ^ "A Brief History of Swains Island in American Samoa". U.S. Department of the Interior. Archived from the original on February 8, 2012.
  5. ^ Gray, J. A. C. (January 1, 1960). Amerika Samoa - History Of American Samoa And Its United States Naval Administration. United States Naval Institute. p. 214. ISBN 978-0870210747.
  6. ^ "Swains Island 98th Anniversary Celebration" (PDF) (Press release). Office of the Governor of American Samoa. May 18, 2023. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  7. ^ Monmonier, Mark (2010). No Dig, No Fly, No Go: How Maps Restrict and Control. University of Chicago Press. pp. 81. ISBN 9780226534633.
  8. ^ "The World Factbook". Cia.gov. Retrieved March 11, 2014.
  9. ^ "America Annexes Swain's Island". V(11) Pacific Islands Monthly. June 25, 1935. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  10. ^ Swains Island, Charles A. Veley, 27 November 2008.
  11. ^ 2012 Swains Island DXpedition
  12. ^ Assessment of the Birds of Swains Island, American Samoa, Andrew Titmus, Nicola Arcilla, and Christopher Lepczyk, The Wilson Journal of Ornithology, March 2016.
  13. ^ Swains Island – One of the Last Jewels of the Planet, Ocean Futures Society, 2014.
  14. ^ Atoll envisioned as a model for sustainability, Star Advertiser, 20 September 2014.


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