Laysan

Laysan
Native name:
Kauō
Aerial view of Laysan from the north
Map of the Hawaiian Islands showing the location of Laysan, in the middle of the northwestern chain
Laysan is located in Pacific Ocean
Laysan
Laysan
Geography
LocationPacific Ocean
Coordinates25°46′12″N 171°44′15″W / 25.77000°N 171.73750°W / 25.77000; -171.73750
ArchipelagoNorthwestern Hawaiian Islands
Area1,016 acres (411 ha)
Length1.5 mi (2.4 km)
Width1 mi (2 km)
Administration
StateHawaii
CountyHonolulu
Demographics
Population0
Bathymetric map of Laysan
Monk seal on the beach at Laysan Island. Note ripple pattern in coral sand (June 1969).
The interior of Laysan, showing its lake and the birds that nest there
The shore of Lake Laysan

Laysan (/ˈlaɪsɑːn/;[1] Hawaiian: Kauō [kɐwˈoː]) is one of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, located 808 nautical miles (930 mi; 1,496 km) northwest of Honolulu. It has one land mass of 1,016 acres (4.11 km2), about 1 by 1+1⁄2 miles (1.6 by 2.4 km) in size. It is an atoll of sorts, although the land completely surrounds Laysan Lake some 2.4 m (7.9 ft) above sea level that has a salinity approximately three times greater than the ocean. Laysan's Hawaiian name, Kauō, means 'egg'.

  1. ^ "Laysan". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved March 23, 2019.