United States

Oahu is the most populated of the Hawaiian Islands. Hawaii's capital of Honolulu stretches along its southern shore. Just to the east of Honolulu is Waikiki Beach, with throngs of tourists and dozens of high-rise hotels. Overlooking Waikiki is Diamond Head, a volcanic crater formed some 200,000 years ago (extinct for about 150,000 years). The clouds in the right hand corner of this image are an almost permanent feature of Oahu. Trade winds blowing from the northeast are stopped by the 960 m (3,000 ft) high mountain range, where they rain out most of their moisture. As a result, the windward side of Oahu is usually cloudy, and the leeward side is relatively clear and dry. The large indent in the lower left of the image is Pearl Harbor, site of the Japanese air raid which drew America into World War II. The harbor still serves as a US Navy base. Photo courtesy of NASA.

In the southern Atlantic Ocean roughly midway between central South America and central Africa, sits Ascension Island. A small, rocky, volcanic outcrop covered in many places by lava flows and cinder cones of dormant volcanoes, the island sits just west of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. In this detailed satellite image taken 24 February 2003, marbled-looking lava flows can be seen dominating the northwest coast, with smaller flows visible on the southwest coast below the island's Wideawake Airfield, as well as on the southeast coast. Northeast of the airstrip, a large cinder cone is visible, its dark brown center fading to tan in a series of pale rings. This crater, the island's largest, is called Devil's Riding School. Crisp, white surf breaks along the shores. Image courtesy of NASA.

Palmyra Atoll is an unoccupied equatorial Northern Pacific atoll of some 12 sq km (4.6 sq mi) administered by the US Government. It is located almost due south of the Hawaiian Islands, roughly halfway between Hawaii and American Samoa. The atoll consists of an extensive reef, two shallow lagoons, and some 50 sand and reef-rock islets and bars covered with vegetation. The variable temporary population of 4 to 20 "non-occupants" consists of staff and scientists employed by various departments of the US Government and The Nature Conservancy, as well as a rotating mix of Palmyra Atoll Research Consortium scholars pursuing research. Photo courtesy of NASA.

The last remnant of France's once-vast holdings in North America, this island archipelago off the coast of Newfoundland bears the scars of a complicated geologic history. Saint Pierre and Miquelon cover just 242 sq km (93 sq mi), and the three biggest islands lend the entire archipelago its name. In this false-color satellite image, vegetation appears in varying shades of pink and red, bare land is beige, urbanized areas are blue-gray, and water appears in shades of blue and blue-green. Saint Pierre is the smallest of the archipelago's major islands, a mostly northeast-southwest running landmass with several smaller islands and islets scattered around it. In the west (top of the image), Miquelon consists of three main sections: an arc-shaped body in the north (top right), Grande Miquelon immediately southeast of that, and Langlade (or Petite Miquelon) Island in the south. Grande Miquelon and Langlade are connected by a tombolo, a ridge of beach material (typically sand), built by wave action, that connects an island to the mainland. This tombolo formed in the eighteenth century. The terrain of the archipelago consists of mostly barren rock. Deforestation has claimed much of the vegetation, although woodland still covers 20 percent of the surface. Scrub vegetation and peatland are extensive. Cold, wet, foggy weather predominates, with windy springs and autumns. The islands, particularly Langlade, bear a scoured appearance, and this is no coincidence. During the Pleistocene Ice Age, glacial ice scraped the island. Today, wind and waves continue to erode these landmasses. For several months a year, winds regularly exceed 60 km (35 mi) per hour, and frequent storms pound the coastlines with high waves. Anecdotal evidence from local fishermen suggests that recent mild winters and less extensive sea ice might have allowed more erosion by ocean waves. Photo courtesy of NASA.

Seaside view at Gloucester, Massacusetts. Settled in 1623, the city - long a fishing and seafood center - claims to be America's oldest seaport.

Kiritimati Island (formerly Christmas Island), the largest atoll in the Pacific Ocean, is the centerpiece of this low-oblique, northeast-looking photo. The atoll covers 606 sq km (234 sq mi), of which 243 sq km (94 sq mi) are land. The island was discovered by Captain James Cook in 1777. The majority of the island's inhabitants work on coconut plantations and in copra production. The island's major airbase is on the northeast side of the island. Nuclear tests were conducted on Kiritimati Island by the British in 1957 and 1958 and by the United States in 1962. Image courtesy of NASA.