jan mayen

Jan Mayen

Introduction

   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 Haakon VII Toppen
                /Beerenberg volcano resumed activity in 1970; it is the
                northernmost active volcano on earth.

Geography

     Location:  Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and
                the Norwegian Sea, northeast of Iceland

    Geographic  71 00 N, 8 00 W
  coordinates:

           Map  Arctic Region
   references:

         Area:  total: 377 sq km
                land: 377 sq km
                water: 0 sq km

        Area -  slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
  comparative:

          Land  0 km
   boundaries:

    Coastline:  124.1 km

      Maritime  territorial sea: 4 nm
       claims:  contiguous zone: 10 nm
                exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
                continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of
                exploitation

      Climate:  arctic maritime with frequent storms and persistent fog

      Terrain:  volcanic island, partly covered by glaciers

     Elevation  lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
     extremes:  highest point: Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg 2,277 m

       Natural  none
    resources:

     Land use:  arable land: 0%
                permanent crops: 0%
                other: 100% (2005)

     Irrigated  0 sq km
         land:

       Natural  dominated by the volcano Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg;
      hazards:  volcanic activity resumed in 1970

 Environment -  NA
       current
       issues:

   Geography -  barren volcanic island with some moss and grass
         note:

People

   Population:  no indigenous inhabitants
                note: personnel operate the Long Range Navigation
                (Loran-C) base and the weather and coastal services
                radio station (July 2006 est.)

Government

 Country name:  conventional long form: none
                conventional short form: Jan Mayen

    Dependency  territory of Norway; since August 1994, administered
       status:  from Oslo through the county governor (fylkesmann) of
                Nordland; 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  the flag of Norway is used
  description:

Economy

     Economy -  Jan Mayen is a volcanic island with no exploitable
     overview:  natural resources. Economic activity is limited to
                providing services for employees of Norway's radio and
                meteorological stations on the island.

Communications

         Radio  AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
     broadcast  note: there is one radio and meteorological station
     stations:  (1998)

      Internet  13 (Jan Mayen and Svalbard) (2000)
       Service
     Providers
       (ISPs):

Transportation

     Airports:  1 (2006)

    Airports -  total: 1
  with unpaved  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)
      runways:

     Ports and  none; offshore anchorage only
    terminals:

Military

    Military -  defense is the responsibility of Norway
         note:

Transnational
Issues

    Disputes -  none
international: