 NASA picture of Mejit Island | |
 | |
  Mejit Island | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | North Pacific |
| Coordinates | 10°17′N170°52′E / 10.283°N 170.867°E /10.283; 170.867 |
| Archipelago | Ratak |
| Total islands | 1 |
| Area | 1.86 km2 (0.72 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 3 m (10 ft) |
| Administration | |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 230 (2021) |
| Ethnic groups | Marshallese |
Mejit (Marshallese:Mājej,[mʲæzʲɛːtʲ],[1] orMājeej,[mʲæzʲɛːtʲ][2]) is an island in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district of theRatak Chain of theMarshall Islands. Unlike most of the other islands of the Marshall Islands, Mejit is a stony island rather than acoral atoll, although it is surrounded by a fringingcoral reef enclosing a narrow lagoon. It is located east of the main line of the Ratak chain, approximately 110 kilometers (68 mi) northeast fromWotje. The population was 230 at the 2021 census.[3]
The island is lush inpandanus,breadfruit andtaro. To the residents, this island is known as 'Paradise". It has a freshwater lake (rare in the Marshall Islands) with indigenous ducks. Mejit is famous for its pandanus leaf mats.
An airstrip,Mejit Airport, bisects the island. It is served byAir Marshall Islands.
First recorded sighting by Europeans was by the Spanish expedition ofMiguel López de Legazpi on 9 January 1565. It was charted asLos Barbudos (The Bearded in Spanish) because of the long beards of its inhabitants. Its sighting was also recorded by the Spanish expedition ofRuy López de Villalobos on December 1542.[4]
The German navigatorOtto von Kotzebue, sailing in Russian service, made landfall at Mejit Island on January 1, 1817, and named itNew Year's Island.[5] In 1885, Mejit was claimed by theGerman Empire along with the rest of the Marshall Islands.[6] After World War I, the island came under theSouth Seas Mandate of theEmpire of Japan. The island was recovered from the Japanese by U.S. Forces on 2 April 1944. Following the end of World War II, it came under the control of the United States as part of theTrust Territory of the Pacific Islands until the independence of the Marshall Islands in 1986.
Marshall Islands Public School System operates Mejit Elementary School.[7]Northern Islands High School onWotje serves the community.[8]
