American Territories

Mirand Tafarshiku
Anglo-American Civilization
20 April 16, 2013

Territory of the United States of America1
The United States of America is a federal republic consisting of fifty states and a federal district situated in the North America. The USA has also several territories, islands mainly situated in the Pacific Ocean, which have differing degrees of autonomy.2
Incorporated unorganized territories
Palmyra Atoll is administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior. It is an archipelago of about 50 small islands with about 4 km2 of land area. It was acquired by the United States through the annexation of the Republic of Hawaii in 1898. Palmyra remained an incorporated territory, but received no new organized government. Palmyra is also uninhabited, as far as permanent residents are concerned.
Unincorporated organized territories
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. It is also the home of Naval Base Guam and Andersen Air Force Base. Guam is governed by a popularly elected governor and a unicameral 15-member legislature, whose members are known as senators. Guam elects one non-voting delegate, currently Democrat Madeleine Z. Bordallo, to the United States House of Representatives. U.S. citizens in Guam vote in a straw poll for their choice in the U.S. Presidential general election, but since Guam has no votes in the Electoral College, the poll has no real effect. However, in sending delegates to the Republican and Democratic national conventions, Guam does have influence in the national presidential race. These delegates are elected by local party conventions.
United States Virgin Islands consist of the main islands of Saint Croix, Saint John, and Saint Thomas, along with the much smaller but historically distinct Water Island, and many other surrounding minor islands. The total land area of the territory is 346.4 km2. Even though they are U.S. citizens, U.S. Virgin Islands residents cannot vote in presidential elections. U.S. Virgin Islands residents, however, are able to vote in presidential primary elections for delegates to the Democratic National Convention and the Republican National Convention. The United States Virgin Islands is the only United States dependency whose road traffic drives on the left.
Unincorporated territory with Commonwealth status3
Commonwealth of the Northern Marian Islands established itself as a U.S. Commonwealth in 1978. It consists of fifteen islands in the western Pacific Ocean with total land area of 475.26 km2. The Northern Mariana Islands have a presidential representative democratic system, in which the governor is head of government, with a multi-party system. The Northern Mariana Islands are a commonwealth of the United States. Federal funds to the Commonwealth are administered by the Office of Insular Affairs of the U.S. Department of the Interior.
Puerto Rico was established as a U.S. Commonwealth in 1952. It is located in the northeastern Caribbean. Puerto Rico has a republican form of government, subject to U.S. jurisdiction and sovereignty. Its current powers are all delegated by the United States Congress and lack full protection under the United States Constitution. Puerto Rico's head of state is the President of the United States.
Unincorporated unorganized territories
Islands in the Pacific Ocean
American Samoa is located in the South Pacific Ocean. The total land area is 197.1 km2. As an unincorporated territory, the Ratification Act of 1929 vested all civil, judicial, and military powers in the President of the United States of America, who in turn delegated authority to the Secretary of the Interior in Executive Order 10264, who in turn promulgated the Constitution of American Samoa on June 2, 1967 effective July 1, 1967. The Governor of American Samoa is the head of government and along with the Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa is elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms. The main (largest and most populous) island is Tutuila, with the Manuʻa Islands, Rose Atoll, and Swains Island also included in the territory.
Baker Island is an uninhabited atoll located just north of the equator in the central Pacific Ocean with the area of 2.1 km2.
Howland Island is an uninhabited coral island located just north of the equator in the central Pacific Ocean. It covers 450 acres (1.8 km2), with 6.4 km of coastline.
Johnston Atoll is a 2.7 km2 atoll in the North Pacific Ocean.
Midway Islands is a 6.2 km2 atoll in the North Pacific Ocean is administered by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS).
Wake Island is a coral atoll having a coastline of 19 km in the North Pacific Ocean. Access to the island is restricted, and all activities on the island are managed by the United States Air Force.
Jarvis Island is an uninhabited 4.5 sq kilometer coral island located in the South Pacific Ocean.
Kingman Reef is located in the North Pacific Ocean and now uninhabited. The atoll is closed to the public.
Islands in the Caribbean Sea
Navassa Island is about 5.2 km2 in area. It is an uninhabited island in the Caribbean Sea.
Extraterritorial jurisdiction
The United States exercises some degree of extraterritorial jurisdiction over its embassy, overseas military and leased areas such as:
United States Naval Station Guantanamo Bay is located on 120 km2 of land and water at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. The base is located on the shore of Guantánamo Bay at the southeastern end of Cuba. It is the oldest overseas U.S. Navy Base, and the only one in a country with which the United States does not have diplomatic relations.
The United States assumed territorial control over the southern portion of Guantánamo Bay under the 1903 Cuban-American Treaty. The United States has complete jurisdiction and control over this territory, while Cuba retains ultimate sovereignty.
Certain other parcels in foreign countries held by lease, such as military bases, depending on the terms of a lease, treaty, or status of forces agreement with the host country.
The total territory of the USA, outside the North America, is 12,272.28 km2, with a population of 4,085,320 inhabitants.