linguistic:paraphrasing
Malden Island, sometimes called Independence Island in the 19th century, is a low, arid, uninhabited atoll in the central Pacific Ocean, about 39 km⁲ (15 sq mi) in area. It is one of the Line Islands belonging to the Republic of Kiribati. The lagoon is entirely enclosed by land, though it is connected to the sea by underground channels, and is quite salty. The island is chiefly notable for its ancient stone architecture, its once-extensive deposits of phosphatic guano, its former use as the site of the first British H-bomb tests, and its current importance as a protected area for breeding seabirds. The island is designated as the Malden Island Wildlife Sanctuary. In 2014 the Kiribati government established a 12-nautical-mile fishing exclusion zone around each of the southern Line Islands.