Kingman Reef

No, Kingman Reef is closed to the public and requires a special permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to visit. It is a remote, uninhabited U.S. territory located in the central Pacific Ocean. Only scientific researchers are generally granted access to the area.

Kingman Reef hosts some of the most pristine and least human-impacted coral reef ecosystems on Earth. Because of its extreme remoteness, it features a remarkably intact predator-dominated food web. Scientists often study its high shark populations to understand what untouched, natural coral reefs look like.

Kingman Reef is situated in the central Pacific Ocean, roughly halfway between Hawaii and American Samoa. It is part of the Northern Line Islands and operates as an unincorporated U.S. territory. It lies about 36 nautical miles northwest of Palmyra Atoll.

Yes, Kingman Reef is protected as part of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument. It is jointly administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA. This designation strictly prohibits commercial fishing and resource extraction to preserve its untouched ecology.