A private island is a disconnected body of land wholly owned by a private citizen or corporation. Although this exclusivity gives the owner substantial control over the property, private islands remain under the jurisdiction of national and sometimes local governments. Their size can vary widely, from that of a typical suburban yard to several hundred square kilometers.
Virtually all islands in the world are claimed and governed by some national government. That nation's laws apply, and any attempt by the owner to claim sovereignty would generally be unrealistic. Nevertheless, some people still try to set up their own micronations on islands, like real-estate millionaire Michael Oliver's attempt at building a libertarian city-state called the Republic of Minerva in the southern Pacific Ocean. There are widely varying government policies regarding private islands: for instance, islands off the coast of China, like any other land within the country, [1] cannot be purchased outright, but only leased from the government for a maximum period of 50 years.
"Private" islands in the United Kingdom, Brazil, Chile and some other countries are not legally entirely private –any foreshore, such as a beach, is owned by the government,[ citation needed ] and is hence publicly accessible property, despite what the owners of the land on the island may wish to claim. The same applies to freedom to roam in Nordic countries: only the yard of a house and the immediate vicinity is legally protected against trespassing, and the water bodies around the island are freely navigable.
There are many thousands of uninhabited islands in the world with potential for commercial development of tourist resorts or private recreational use. Some islands can be bought undeveloped, while others already have roads and/or houses. Islands are also available for rent. [2] [3] Many celebrities have their own private islands. [4]
Commercial development of uninhabited islands can raise ecological concerns, as many have a fragile environment.
Since 1992 a number of cruise lines have acquired "private islands" to offer their customers exclusive beach experiences. Such islands (or sections thereof) were further developed to have restaurants and perhaps additional attractions such as parasailing, waterparks, zip lines, horseback riding, spas and more. [5] Some islands have piers, others are reached by tender. The purchase of an island allows the cruise line to achieve greater control over the venue and to influence the quality of experience of their passengers. [6] Certain private islands may be used not only by the cruise line that bought the property but also by associated lines. [5]
The real estate market for private islands varies globally. Prices tend to be lower in Nova Scotia, parts of Michigan and Maine, and parts of Central America; and higher in Europe, the Bahamas, and Oceanic countries like French Polynesia. [8] Islands with amenities have higher market value and are not sold as frequently. [9] Some are available for travelers to rent, a trend which increased in the 2000s with economic recession making it more difficult for some owners to maintain them. [10]
In the 2000s, the United States housing bubble increased the cost-per-acre for private islands. The effect was fueled by the advent of the Internet, which provided greater access to island inventories. Conservation groups' efforts to restrict development reduced the supply of private islands in the market, raising prices. [9]
Southeast Asia has numerous islands, with Indonesia being an archipelago of 17,000 islands and the Philippines having around 7,100. Real estate laws restrict foreigners' ability to buy property in the geographical area, and many islands either have unclear ownership rights or are already settled. Private islands that are available in Southeast Asia's real estate market are also prohibitively costly due to being in high demand by hotel developers. Developments address these difficulties by selling private islands that have villas and neighbor islands that have high-end hotels; the proximity keeps costs of habitation down. [11]
Europe has hundreds of thousands of islands, many of which are privately owned. With 17,000 islands in Finland, 221,831 islands in Sweden and thousands in Croatia, Europe is increasingly becoming a hotspot for private island holidays. [12] Many islands, although privately owned, are not suitable for development due to legal and governmental restrictions or due to the physical characteristics of the island.
The Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic feature a number of private islands, typically run as sheep raising family farms and tourist destinations. Prominent among these is Weddell Island, one of the largest private islands in the world, with a surface area of 265.8 km2 (102.6 sq mi). [13] While the Hawaiian island of Lanai is still bigger at 364 km2 (141 sq mi), technically it might not qualify as part of its territory (about 2%) does not belong to the principal owner. [14]
The Turks and Caicos Islands are a British Overseas Territory consisting of the larger Caicos Islands and smaller Turks Islands, two groups of tropical islands in the Lucayan Archipelago of the Atlantic Ocean and northern West Indies. They are known primarily for tourism and as an offshore financial centre. The resident population in 2023 was estimated by The World Factbook at 59,367, making it the third-largest of the British overseas territories by population. However, according to a Department of Statistics estimate in 2022, the population was 47,720.
This article talks about transportation in the Bahamas, a North American archipelagic state in the Atlantic Ocean.
311 is an American rock band from Omaha, Nebraska. The band was formed in 1988 by vocalist and guitarist Nick Hexum, lead guitarist Jim Watson, bassist Aaron "P-Nut" Wills, and drummer Chad Sexton. Watson was replaced by Tim Mahoney in 1990. In 1992, Doug "SA" Martinez joined as a second vocalist and turntablist.
The Berry Islands are a chain of islands and a district of the Bahamas, covering about thirty square miles (78 km2) of the northwestern part of the Out Islands.
The Abaco Islands lie in the northern Bahamas, located about 193 miles east of Miami, Florida. The main islands are Great Abaco and Little Abaco, which is located just west of the northern tip of Great Abaco. There are several smaller barrier cays, of which the northernmost are Walker's Cay and its sister island Grand Cay. To the south, the next inhabited islands are Spanish Cay and Green Turtle Cay, with its settlement of New Plymouth, Great Guana Cay, private Scotland Cay, Man-O-War Cay, and Elbow Cay, with its settlement of Hope Town. Southernmost are Tilloo Cay and Lubbers Quarters. Another of note off Abaco's western shore is Gorda Cay, now a Disney-owned island and a cruise ship stop renamed Castaway Cay. Also in the vicinity is Moore's Island. On the Big Island of Abaco is Marsh Harbour, the Abacos' commercial hub and the Bahamas' third largest city, plus the resort area of Treasure Cay. Both have airports. A few mainland settlements of significance are Coopers Town and Fox Town in the north and Cherokee and Sandy Point in the south. Administratively, the Abaco Islands constitute seven of the 31 Local Government Districts of the Bahamas: Grand Cay, North Abaco, Green Turtle Cay, Central Abaco, South Abaco, Moore's Island, and Hope Town.
Disney Cruise Line is a cruise line operation that is a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. The company was incorporated in 1996 as Magical Cruise Company Limited, through its first vessel Disney Magic, and is domiciled in London, England, with their operational headquarters located in Celebration, Florida.
Exuma is a district of The Bahamas, consisting of over 365 islands and cays.
Disney's Castaway Cay, or simply Castaway Cay, is a private island in the Bahamas which serves as an exclusive port for the Disney Cruise Line ships. It is located near Great Abaco Island and was formerly known as Gorda Cay. In 1997, The Walt Disney Company purchased a 99-year land lease for the cay from the Bahamian government, giving the company substantial control over the island.
Norman's Cay is a small Bahamian island in the Exumas, a chain of islands south and east of Nassau, that served as the headquarters for Carlos Lehder's drug smuggling operation from 1978 until around 1982.
CocoCay or Little Stirrup Cay is one of the Berry Islands, a collection of Bahamian cays and small islands located approximately 55 miles north of Nassau. It is used for tourism by Royal Caribbean Group exclusively. Little Stirrup Cay is adjacent to Great Stirrup Cay, Norwegian Cruises' private island since 1977.
Peter J. Nygård is a Finnish-Canadian businessman and former fashion executive. In 1967 he founded Nygård International, a Winnipeg-based company that initially was a sportswear manufacturer before producing women's apparel. He was rated the 70th richest Canadian by Canadian Business Magazine in 2009, with a net worth of C$817 million, while in 2017 his net worth was estimated to be C$900 million.
Louis Moore Bacon is an American investor, hedge fund manager, and philanthropist. He is the founder and chief executive of Moore Capital Management.
Musha Cay is a 700-acre (280 ha), privately owned island in the Exuma Chain, in the southern Bahamas. It is located 85 miles (137 km) southeast of Nassau. It is owned by illusionist David Copperfield.
Lyford Cay is a private gated community located on the western tip of New Providence island in The Bahamas. The former cay that lent its name to the community is named after Captain William Lyford Jr., a mariner of note in Colonial and Revolutionary times, and is built on a 448-acre (181 ha) grant he received for his services as a Loyalist in the American Revolutionary War. Captain Lyford also received a 92-acre (37 ha) grant on Cat Island, Bahamas for playing a key role in Andrew Deveaux’s raid of April 1783 that drove the Spanish from Nassau.
Sandy Cay is an uninhabited island of the British Virgin Islands in the Caribbean. It is located between Tortola and Jost Van Dyke. The island was owned by the Laurance Rockefeller Estate. On 1 May 2008, ownership of the island was transferred to the National Parks Trust of the Virgin Islands. In 2002, International NGO, Island Resources Foundation led a project to eradicate invasive black rats from the island.
Pig Beach located on Big Major Cay is a beach on an uninhabited island located in Exuma, the Bahamas. The island takes its unofficial name from the fact that it is populated by a colony of feral pigs which live on the island. It has become a tourist attraction in modern times.
Private Islands is an American travel television series. Host Amber Wyatt goes on adventures around the world, exploring not only private islands, but luxurious resorts, and the expansive cultures in each location. The show is a product of AWE network.
Henley Cay, previously known as Women's Cay, is an 11-acre tropical islet in the United States Virgin Islands. The cay is 300 yards in diameter and the largest and southernmost of the Durloe Cays in the Virgin Islands National Park. Henley Cay is situated 2,200 feet northwest of Turtle Bay on the island of Saint John, separated from the island by the Durloe Channel. The cay is 70 feet high and has a pier on its southern side, although it is uninhabited. The island is known as a snorkeling and kayaking destination, but is also visited for its white sandy beaches. Companies offer guided kayak tours from Cruz Bay, Honeymoon Bay, and Caneel Bay to Henley- and Lovango Cays.