Last modified: 2002-11-09 by sam lockton
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The top blue is sky blue, the thin stripe is white for the beach and the turquoise
(greenish blue) bottom stripe is for the color of thesurrounding ocean. The
bird, a Laysan Albatross, is white and black. The flag will first be displayed
this coming May 29th. It was designed for the Memorial Day 2000 event
being held at the USS Arizona. The flag was designed by the Midway Atoll
National Wildlife Refuge staff with assistance of a National Park Service
employee. As a number of people have pointed out there is no official
documentation of sources and I believe this flag has no official status, other
than that it will be used to represent Midway Island in a Memorial Day ceremony.
To me the flag has the same status as a small US city's flag - it is accepted as
the flag by the inhabitants even though the federal government hasn't given the
flag official status. The flag used on the 29th will be 3:5 ratio.
John Niggley, 20 and 25 April 2000
According to the CIA World Factbook:
Midway Islands - 5.2 sq. km., 450 inhabitants - US military personnel; airfield and cable-station; Unincorporated territory of the US administered by the US Navy, under Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific Division; this facility has been operationally closed since 10 September 1993 and is currently being transferred from Pacific Fleet to Naval Facilities Engineering Command via a Memorandum of Understanding.Jarig Bakker, 29 January 2000
According to one internet site, there are some permanent inhabitants in
Midway Islands. I have picked the following text from
the same site: "Current permanent island
population totals approximately 150. Guests visiting the Islands are limited to
100 at a time."
Helge Jacobsen, 20 April 2000
I don't know whether this can be classified as a permanent population.
When the US Navy closed its facilities at Midway Island, the island was
transferred to the Department of the Interior. Because of the cost of
maintaining a protected area so far from the shores, it leased to a private
company the right to operate a hotel facility which allows people to view the
wildlife in the area as well as the historic sites on the island. Under the
contract, the hotel employees and Interior Department employees cannot exceed
150 in number, and the total number of tourists 100. If I recall correctly, the
accommodations are former military housing units.
Phil Nelson, 20 April 2000
Claimed by the US in 1867 under the Guano Act. A U.S. Navy installation
until recent years. Administered by: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department
of Interior.
Phil Nelson, 25 April 2000