Starbuck Island

coral atoll in the Central Line Islands of Kiribati

Starbuck Island (or Volunteer Island) is a coral atoll in the central Pacific. It is part of the Central Line Islands of Kiribati. No one lives on the island.

Starbuck is located in Pacific Ocean
Starbuck
Starbuck
Location of Starbuck Island in the Pacific Ocean
Ruins of the 19th Century guano settlement on Starbuck Island

Geography, flora and fauna

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Starbuck Island is located at 5°38′30″S 155°52′40″W / 5.64167°S 155.87778°W / -5.64167; -155.87778. It is 8.9 kilometres (5.5 mi) east-to-west and 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) north-to-south. The island has a land area of 1,620 hectares (4,000 acres).[1] It is a low, dry, coral limestone island. It has a steep beach.

There is no freshwater on the island. Each year, the island gets about 800 millimetres (31 in) of rain.[1]

Starbuck Island has a large colony of Sooty Terns. It is estimated that 1.5 million pairs of the birds live on the island. The island is also a home to Polynesian Rats, feral cats, Green turtles and about fifteen other species of seabirds.[1]

References

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  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 http://www.unep-wcmc.org/sites/wetlands/starbuck.htm Archived 2007-09-29 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved on 7 July 2008.