Communications: Broadcast media
a coastal radio station has been remotely operated since 1994
Environment: Climate
arctic maritime with frequent storms and persistent fog
Environment: Environmental issues
pollutants transported from southerly latitudes by winds and ocean currents
Environment: Land use: agricultural land
0% (2011 est.)
Environment: Land use: other
100% (2018 est.)
Geography: Area - comparative
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, D.C.
Geography: Area: land
377 sq km
Geography: Area: water
0 sq km
Geography: Coastline
124.1 km
Geography: Elevation: highest point
Haakon VII Toppen on Beerenberg 2,277
Geography: Elevation: lowest point
Norwegian/Greenland Seas 0 m
Geography: Geographic coordinates
71 00 N, 8 00 W
Geography: Geography - note
barren volcanic spoon-shaped island with some moss and grass flora; island consists of two parts: a larger northeast Nord-Jan (the spoon "bowl") and the smaller Sor-Jan (the "handle"), linked by a 2.5 km-wide isthmus (the "stem") with two large lakes, Sorlaguna (South Lagoon) and Nordlaguna (North Lagoon)
Geography: Irrigated land
0 sq km (2022)
Geography: Land boundaries: total
0 km
Geography: Land use: agricultural land
0% (2011 est.)
Geography: Land use: other
100% (2018 est.)
Geography: Map references
Arctic Region
Geography: Maritime claims: contiguous zone
24 nm
Geography: Maritime claims: continental shelf
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Geography: Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Geography: Maritime claims: territorial sea
12 nm
Geography: Natural hazards
dominated by the volcano Beerenberg volcanism: Beerenberg (2,227 m) is Norway's only active volcano; volcanic activity resumed in 1970; the most recent eruption occurred in 1985
Geography: Terrain
volcanic island, partly covered by glaciers
Government: Country name: conventional short form
Jan Mayen
Government: Country name: etymology
named after Dutch Captain Jan Jacobszoon MAY, one of the first explorers to reach the island in 1614
Government: Dependency status
territory of Norway; since 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
Government: Flag
the flag of Norway is used
Government: Legal system
the laws of Norway apply
Introduction: Background
This desolate, mountainous island in the Arctic Ocean 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 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: Military - note
defense is the responsibility of Norway
Warning: Some information might be outdated or incorrect, please check statistics before using(most of the economical stats are correct, its mostly the Population stats that are incorrect). Some dates are listed but some are missed, if you have any issues please report it to the Github at github.com.