Nikumaroro

atoll, Pacific Ocean

Also known as: Gardner

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 1, 2026

Quick Summary

Nikumaroro is a coral atoll located in the west-central Pacific Ocean, part of Kiribati. It is one of the Phoenix Islands. The atoll was discovered in the 19th century and, though evidence suggests it was inhabited in prehistoric times, it was uninhabited when Europeans arrived. Settlement attempts in the 1930s proved infeasible due to inconsistent rainfall. Nikumaroro is also known as Gardner Island and is one of the islands where artifacts have been discovered, leading to theories that Amelia Earhart may have landed there after disappearing on her 1937 flight.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Phoenix Islands
(Phoenix), Manra (Sydney), McKean, Nikumaroro (Gardner), Birnie, Orona (Hull), Kanton (Canton), and Enderbury atolls. They have a total land area of approximately 11 square miles (29 square km). All are low, sandy atolls that were discovered in the 19th century by American whaling ships. Evidence on Manra, Orona, and…
Read More
(Phoenix), Manra (Sydney), McKean, Nikumaroro (Gardner), Birnie, Orona (Hull), Kanton (Canton), and Enderbury atolls. They have a total land area of approximately 11 square miles (29 square km). All are low, sandy atolls that were discovered in the 19th century by American whaling ships. Evidence on Manra, Orona, and…
Read More