U.S Possessions United Islands Remote Area People Include

A U.S. "possession" or "territory" is an area that is "governed" (ruled) by the United States, "whereas" (while in contrast) a state shares "sovereignty" (the right for an area to govern itself) with the "federal" (national) government. The "better-known" (known by many or most people) U.S. territories include Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands, as well as American Samoa. But there are many "lesser-known" (not known by as many people) possessions, too.

Several U.S. possessions were "taken" (made part of the United States) under the Guano Islands Act, which was "enacted" (made into law) in 1856. The law allowed the United States to take possession of "uninhabited" (without anyone living there) islands with "guano deposits" (large amounts of bird poop) that could be collected and used as "fertilizer" (substances that improve the soil for growing crops) and as a "component" (ingredient; part) of "gunpowder" (the explosive substance used in guns and other weapons.

More than 100 islands were "claimed" (taken and declared as U.S. property) under the Act, but only a few of them "remain" (are still) U.S. possessions today. These include Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands, the Johnston "Atoll" (a ring-shaped island made of coral), Kingman Reef, the Midway Atoll, and Palmyra Atoll in the North, Central, and South Pacific Ocean. They are almost "equidistant" (the same distance to two points, one on each side) between Asia and North America. Another possession, Navassa Island, is in the Caribbean Sea, but its possession is "disputed" (being argued about), because Haiti also claims it.