Flag of Navassa Island

The flag of the United States of America, also known as the Stars and Stripes, consists of the following elements:

• Thirteen horizontal stripes that alternate between red and white. Seven of the stripes are red and six are white. These stripes symbolize the thirteen colonies that declared their independence from Great Britain and became the first states of the United States;
• Fifty white stars symbolizing the fifty states of the United States. The stars are arranged in nine horizontal rows, which alternate between five and six stars in each row;

Color symbolism:

• Red: Symbolizes courage and bravery;
• White: Symbolizes purity and innocence;
• Blue: Symbolizes endurance, resilience, and justice.

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In 1857, the United States annexed Navassa Island under the Guano Act, which allowed American citizens to occupy uninhabited islands rich in guano, which was used as a valuable fertilizer. After that, the island was administered by the United States, and, accordingly, the official US flag was used on it. However, Haiti also claims the island based on historical claims, but this dispute has not led to the creation of a separate flag for Navassa.

Today, Navassa Island is part of the US National Wildlife Refuge and is managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. In this regard, the island uses the official flag of the United States and the flag of this service, which represents the management and protection of natural resources. This situation emphasizes the peculiarities of the political and administrative management of the island, as well as its importance as a nature reserve.

• Navassa Island is located approximately halfway between Haiti and Jamaica in the Caribbean Sea;
• The island is an elevated coral platform with a steep shore. Navassa has no permanent sources of fresh water, and its vegetation includes mainly shrubs and grasses;
• Navassa's flora includes several species that are well adapted to the dry and rocky conditions: most of the island is covered with low, thorny shrubs that can withstand dry conditions, various types of grasses, including those that can grow on nutrient-poor soils, and some endemic plant species that are found nowhere else in the world;
• Navassa's fauna also has its own characteristics, with numerous species that have adapted to the island's harsh conditions: species such as the Bermuda petrel and several species of terns, lizards and snakes can be found here. One of the most notable is the lizard Anolis lividus, which is endemic to the island. The island's coastline is an egg-laying area for sea turtles such as the green sea turtle and the loggerhead;
• Preserving Navassa's flora and fauna is an important task for ecologists and biologists. Due to its isolation and lack of significant human intervention, the island preserves many unique species that can be important for scientific research. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service monitors visits to the island to ensure minimal impact on its natural environment.