|
Home
Missions
Ministries
Bible
Institute & School
Contact
Us
Careers,
Opportunities in Ministry
|
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. |
|
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
water: 0 sq km
land: 373 sq km |
|
Area - comparative:
|
slightly more
than twice the size of Washington, DC |
|
Land boundaries:
|
0 km |
|
Coastline:
|
124.1 km |
|
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 |
|
Natural resources:
|
none |
|
Land use:
|
arable land:
0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (1998 est.) |
|
Irrigated land:
|
0 sq km (1998
est.) |
|
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: personnel operate the Long Range Navigation
(Loran-C) base and the weather and coastal services radio
station (July 2004 est.) |
|
Country name:
|
conventional
long form: none
conventional short form: Jan Mayen |
|
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 |
|
Legal system:
|
the laws of
Norway, where applicable, apply |
|
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 on the
island. |
|
Radio broadcast stations:
|
AM NA, FM NA,
shortwave NA
note: there is one radio and meteorological station
(1998) |
|
Waterways:
|
none |
|
Ports and harbors:
|
none; offshore
anchorage only |
|
Airports:
|
1 (2003 est.) |
|
Airports - with unpaved runways:
|
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2003 est.) |
|
Military - note:
|
defense is the
responsibility of Norway |
|
Disputes - international:
|
none |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
|