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CATEGORIES
◆ COMMUNICATIONS(1 fields)
Broadcast media
a coastal radio station has been remotely operated since 1994 (2008)
◆ ECONOMY(1 fields)
Economy - overview
Jan Mayen is a volcanic island with no exploitable natural resources, although surrounding waters contain substantial fish stocks and potential untapped petroleum resources. Economic activity is limited to providing services for employees of Norway's radio and meteorological stations on the island.
◆ GEOGRAPHY(17 fields)
Area
total: 377 sq km | land: 377 sq km | water: 0 sq km | country comparison to the world: 205
Area - comparative
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Climate
arctic maritime with frequent storms and persistent fog
Coastline
124.1 km
Elevation
mean elevation: NA | elevation extremes: lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m | highest point: Haakon VII Toppen on Beerenberg 2,277 m | note: Beerenberg volcano has numerous peaks; the highest point on the volcano rim is named Haakon VII Toppen, after Norway's first king following the reestablishment of Norwegian independence in 1905
Environment - current issues
NA
Geographic coordinates
71 00 N, 8 00 W
Geography - note
barren volcanic island with some moss and grass
Irrigated land
0 sq km (2012)
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
agricultural land: 0% | arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; permanent pasture 0% | forest: 0% | other: 100% (2011 est.)
Location
Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the Norwegian Sea, northeast of Iceland
Map references
Arctic Region
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 4 nm | contiguous zone: 10 nm | exclusive economic zone: 200 nm | continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Natural hazards
dominated by the volcano Beerenberg | volcanism: Beerenberg (elev. 2,227 m) is Norway's only active volcano; volcanic activity resumed in 1970; the most recent eruption occurred in 1985
Natural resources
none
Terrain
volcanic island, partly covered by glaciers
◆ GOVERNMENT(4 fields)
Country name
conventional long form: none | conventional short form: Jan Mayen | etymology: named after Dutch Captain Jan Jacobszoon MAY, one of the first explorers to reach the island in 1614
Dependency status
territory of Norway; since August 1994, administered from Oslo through the county governor (fylkesmann) of Nordland; however, authority has been delegated to a station commander of the Norwegian Defense Communication Service; in 2010 Norway designated the majority of Jan Mayen as a nature reserve
Flag description
the flag of Norway is used
Legal system
the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply
◆ INTRODUCTION(1 fields)
Background
This desolate, arctic, 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, the northernmost active volcano on earth, resumed activity in 1970 and the most recent eruption occurred in 1985.
◆ MILITARY AND SECURITY(1 fields)
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of Norway
◆ PEOPLE AND SOCIETY(1 fields)
Population
no indigenous inhabitants | note: personnel operate the Long Range Navigation (Loran-C) base and the weather and coastal services radio station
◆ TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES(1 fields)
Disputes - international
none
◆ TRANSPORTATION(3 fields)
Airports
1 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 222
Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 1 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2013)
Ports and terminals
none; offshore anchorage only