Title 48, Territories and Insular PossessionsRelease 119-102
§1411 Guano Districts; Claim by United States
Title 48 › CHAPTER 8 — GUANO ISLANDS › § 1411
Summary
If a United States citizen peacefully claims and lives on an island, rock, or key with a guano deposit that is unclaimed by another country, the President may declare it to belong to the United States.
Full Legal Text
Title 48, §1411
Territories and Insular Possessions, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Whenever any citizen of the United States discovers a deposit of guano on any island, rock, or key, not within the lawful jurisdiction of any other government, and not occupied by the citizens of any other government, and takes peaceable possession thereof, and occupies the same, such island, rock, or key may, at the discretion of the President, be considered as appertaining to the United States.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Codification R.S. § 5570 derived from act Aug. 18, 1856, ch. 164, § 1, 11 Stat. 119.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
48 U.S.C. § 1411
Title 48, Territories and Insular Possessions
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102