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.
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. [1]
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. [2] 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 Ocean 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). [3] 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. [4]
Swains Island in the Tokelau archipelago has been owned by the family of Eli Hutchinson Jennings since 1856. In the late 1910s, the U.S. and Britain agreed that the island fell under U.S. jurisdiction, and in 1925 it was administratively joined with American Samoa. In the 1950s, after a labor dispute between the Jennings family and workers on its copra plantation, a form of local government was established for the island, but the Jennings's ownership of the entire island was affirmed. [5]
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, [6] 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 always legally entirely private –in some cases foreshore, such as a beach, is owned by the government, and is hence publicly accessible property, despite what the owners of the land on the island may wish to claim. [7] 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. [8] [9] Many celebrities have their own private islands. [10]
Commercial development of uninhabited islands can raise ecological concerns, as many have a fragile environment.
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. [11] Islands with amenities have higher market value and are not sold as frequently. [12] 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. [13]
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. [12]
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. [14] 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. [15] Certain private islands may be used not only by the cruise line that bought the property but also by associated lines. [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 north of The Bahamas, about 193 miles east of Miami, Florida, US. The main islands are Great Abaco and Little Abaco, which is just west of Great Abaco's northern tip. 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. Also off Abaco's western shore is Gorda Cay, a Disney-owned island and 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. Mainland settlements include 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.
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.
Great Harbour Cay is the major island in the north Berry Islands, a district of the Bahamas. It has a population of 353.
Little San Salvador Island, also known as Half Moon Cay or RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay, is one of about 700 islands that make up the archipelago of The Bahamas. It is located roughly halfway between Eleuthera and Cat Island, administratively in the Cat Island District. It is a private island, owned by Carnival Corporation & plc, which uses it as a port of call for the cruise ships it operates in the region.
CocoCay or Little Stirrup Cay, sometimes titled Perfect Day at CoCoCay is one of the Berry Islands, a collection of Bahamian cays and small islands located approximately 55 miles (89 km) 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.
Great Stirrup Cay is a 268-acre (108 ha) island that is part of the Berry Islands in the Bahamas. Norwegian Cruise Line purchased the island from the Belcher Oil Company in 1977 and developed it into a private island for their cruise ship passengers. The northern part of the island has a sandy beach surrounded by rocks with snorkeling areas. The southern part features a helicopter airfield, a large area without vegetation, and numerous concrete blocks. These are all remnants of a previous U.S. military installation and satellite tracking station. The island's lighthouse was originally constructed in 1863 by the Imperial Lighthouse Service. Great Stirrup Cay is adjacent to Little Stirrup Cay, Royal Caribbean Cruises' private island.
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.
Strangers Cay is a small, 360-acre island in The Bahamas, which is approximately 2.25 miles long. It is owned by Beyoncé and Jay-Z.
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.
Ocean Cay is an island in the Bahamas located in the district of Bimini. It is located 20 miles south of Bimini proper. Ocean Cay is an artificial island which was built by dredging in the late 1960s by Dillingham Construction of Hawaii and was used to mine white oolitic aragonite sand for diverse industrial purposes. The cay has been redeveloped as a private island called Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve for MSC Cruises.
Goat Cay is a private island off Darby Island in the Exuma district of the Bahamas. Goat Cay is located somewhat southeast of Musha Cay, an island owned by David Copperfield, and west of Lignum Vitae Cay.
