| Background: |
This desolate,
mountainous island was named after a Dutch whaling captain
who indisputably discovered it in 1614 (earlier claims are
inconclusive). Visited only occasionally by seal hunters and
trappers over the following centuries, the island came under
Norwegian sovereignty in 1929. The long dormant Beerenberg
volcano resumed activity in 1970; it is the northernmost
active volcano on earth. |
| Location: |
Northern Europe,
island between the Greenland Sea and the Norwegian Sea,
northeast of Iceland |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
71 00 N, 8 00 W |
| Map
references: |
Arctic Region |
| Area: |
total:
373 sq km
land: 373 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
| Area
- comparative: |
slightly more
than twice the size of Washington, DC |
| Maritime
claims: |
contiguous
zone: 10 NM
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth
of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 4 NM |
| Climate: |
arctic maritime
with frequent storms and persistent fog |
| Terrain: |
volcanic island,
partly covered by glaciers |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point:
Norwegian Sea 0 m
highest point: Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg
2,277 m |
| Land
use: |
arable land:
0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100% |
| Irrigated
land: |
0 sq km (1993) |
| Natural
hazards: |
dominated by the
volcano Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg; volcanic activity
resumed in 1970 |
| Environment
- current issues: |
NA |
| Geography
- note: |
barren volcanic
island with some moss and grass |
| Population: |
no indigenous
inhabitants
note: there are personnel who operate the Long
Range Navigation (Loran-C) base and the weather and coastal
services radio station (July 2001 est.) |
| Country
name: |
conventional
long form: none
conventional short form: Jan Mayen |
| Dependency
status: |
territory of
Norway; administered from Oslo through a governor (sysselmann)
resident in Longyearbyen (Svalbard); however, authority has
been delegated to a station commander of the Norwegian
Defense Communication Service |
| Legal
system: |
the laws of
Norway, where applicable, apply |
| Flag
description: |
the flag of
Norway is used |
| Economy
- overview: |
Jan Mayen is a
volcanic island with no exploitable natural resources.
Economic activity is limited to providing services for
employees of Norway's radio and meteorological stations
located on the island. |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM NA, FM NA,
shortwave NA
note: there is one radio and meteorological
station (1998) |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
13 (Jan Mayen and
Svalbard) (2000) |
| Ports
and harbors: |
none; offshore
anchorage only |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
| Military
- note: |
defense is the
responsibility of Norway |
| Disputes
- international: |
none |
|
