10 Abandoned Islands—and the Reasons They Remain Uninhabited

Across the globe, there are numerous deserted and forsaken islands. But why are these places left empty? After all, 250 people live on Tristan da Cunha, situated 2430 kilometers from the nearest populated island. Let’s explore a few islands that stay uninhabited due to financial, political, environmental, or religious factors.

1. Ōkunoshima Island, Japan

Located three kilometers off the coast of Japan, Ōkunoshima Island is teeming with rabbits, a species that isn’t native to the area. However, the island has no human inhabitants. It was once home to a chemical weapons facility that produced poison gas for the Japanese Imperial Army from 1929 to 1945. According to one version of the story, when the Allied Occupation Forces dismantled the plant, they released laboratory animals, and the rabbits soon flourished. Another tale claims that in 1971, visiting schoolchildren released rabbits on the island. Ōkunoshima opened to tourism in the 1960s, and since then, viral videos showcasing the furry residents have brought in more visitors.

2. Antipodes Islands, New Zealand

In Māori, this collection of subantarctic volcanic islets is known as Moutere Mahue, which translates to “abandoned islands.” The extreme cold and harsh winds make the Antipodes Islands unsuitable for permanent human habitation. Many shipwrecked sailors survived on the islands before either being rescued or succumbing to the harsh conditions. In 1999, two people lost their lives after a shipwreck there.

3. Jaco Island, East Timor

Jaco Island in East Timor has no permanent residents because the local people regard it as sacred land. However, tourists are still welcome. Day trips and camping on the island are allowed. Fishermen also act as vendors for the visitors. Since 2007, Jaco Island has been a part of Nino Konis Santana National Park.

4. Clipperton Island, France

Clipperton Island is a coral atoll situated south of Mexico and west of Guatemala in the eastern Pacific. Initially claimed by France, then the United States, the island was mined for guano. In 1897, Mexico took ownership and allowed a British company to mine guano there. During the Mexican Civil War in 1914, the island’s 100 or so residents were cut off from transportation and supplies. In 1917, the last remaining islanders, three women, were rescued and evacuated. Ownership then returned to France, which maintained a lighthouse on the island. It was entirely abandoned following World War II.

5. North Brother Island, United States

How could an island in the East River of New York City be overlooked? The answer lies in its designation as a protected bird sanctuary, making it off-limits to the public. North Brother Island has a remarkable history. Riverside Hospital established a quarantine facility for smallpox patients on the 20-acre island in 1885. Over time, the hospital expanded its services to treat those with other contagious diseases like venereal disease and typhoid. It was here that Typhoid Mary lived for 20 years until her death in 1938. The hospital ceased operations in 1942, but the buildings were repurposed for veterans’ housing and later as a rehabilitation center for those battling substance abuse. However, corruption and civil rights violations led to the center's closure in 1963. The decaying structures still remain, said to be haunted by those who perished or endured suffering there.

6. Battleship Island, Japan

Hashima Island in Japan earned the nickname Battleship Island due to its striking resemblance to a battleship. Situated approximately 15 kilometers from Nagasaki, the island was built on top of a valuable coal seam that was mined from 1887 until 1974. Miners and their families lived on this small island, which spans just around 15 acres. At its peak, Hashima Island was home to over 5000 people, packed into large apartment blocks. As the coal industry declined, these buildings were abandoned and left to deteriorate. The island became hazardous, though it opened for tourism in 2009.

7. Fort Carroll Island, United States

In 1847, the U.S. military established Fort Carroll in the middle of the Patapsco River to safeguard Baltimore, Maryland. The location was chosen based on the understanding that placing a defensive fort too close to a city often caused more issues than it solved. A young Robert E. Lee oversaw the construction of the artificial island and also designed its distinctive hexagonal shape. By the time the Civil War began, the fort was incomplete, and construction halted. After the war, it became evident that the facility was inadequate. Though the fort was updated, these changes came too late to be useful during the Spanish-American War. In 1921, the army abandoned Fort Carroll permanently. The island was sold to a private developer in 1958, but several attempted projects to repurpose it were either too costly or impractical. Today, the fort stands in a state of slow decay.

8. Lazzaretto Nuovo, Italy

Lazzaretto Nuovo is an island located at the entrance of the lagoon surrounding Venice, Italy. Originally a monastery in medieval times, it was transformed in 1468 into a quarantine station for ships to prevent the spread of the plague to the city. This practice continued until the 18th century when the quarantine station was abandoned, and the island became a military base. The Italian army vacated the site in 1975, and the island fell into disrepair. However, local efforts restored it, and it is now a cultural museum supported by the Italian Ministry of Arts and Culture. Today, the island welcomes tourists.

9. Tree Island

Located in the South China Sea, Tree Island is part of the Paracel Islands whose ownership is contested. While it is controlled by China's Hainan Province, the island is also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan. Though tourists can visit with special authorization, the only residents are military personnel stationed there temporarily.

10. Palmyra Atoll, United States

Situated 1000 miles south of Hawaii, Palmyra Atoll is a U.S. territory. Despite its remoteness, the atoll remains officially uninhabited and unorganized. During World War II, the U.S. military constructed an airstrip, which now lies in ruins. The atoll is currently managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, except for Cooper Island, which is owned and overseen by the Nature Conservancy. Palmyra Atoll became infamous as the scene of a double murder in 1974, an event that inspired the novel and subsequent miniseries And the Sea Will Tell.