Howland Island

American  

[hou-luhnd] / ˈhaʊ lənd /

noun

1. an island in the central Pacific, near the equator: U.S. meteorological station and airfield. 1 sq. mi. (2.6 sq. km).

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Howland Island British  

/ ˈhaʊlənd /

noun

1. a small island in the central Pacific, near the equator northwest of Phoenix Island: US airfield. Area: 2.6 sq km (1 sq mile)

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Example Sentences

Earhart disappeared during her attempt to fly around the globe, trying to reach Howland Island in the Pacific for refuelling.

From BBC • Sep. 27, 2025

Her final radio transmissions two months later en route to a critical fuel stop, Howland Island — but a speck in the middle of the Pacific — still haunt:

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2024

Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, disappeared while flying from New Guinea to Howland Island as part of her attempt to become the first female pilot to circumnavigate the globe.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 30, 2024

Earhart and Noonan disappeared on July 2, 1937, flying from Lae, New Guinea, to Howland Island, a one-and-a-half-mile long island some 2,500 miles away.

From National Geographic • Jan. 30, 2024

Howland Island: Discovered by the US early in the 19th century, the uninhabited atoll was officially claimed by the US in 1857.

From The 2008 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency