Jan Mayen

   Introduction Jan Mayen
   ----------------------
                            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 Jan Mayen
   -------------------
                              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
                       Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 10 NM
                                        continental shelf: 200-m depth or to
                                        the depth of exploitation
                                        territorial sea: 4 NM
                                        exclusive economic zone: 200 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
                     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
  
   People Jan Mayen
   ----------------
                             Population: no indigenous inhabitants
                                         note: personnel operate the Long
                                         Range Navigation (Loran-C) base and
                                         the weather and coastal services
                                         radio station (July 2002 est.)
                 Population growth rate: NA
  
   Government Jan Mayen
   --------------------
                           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 Jan Mayen
   -----------------
                     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.
  
   Communications Jan Mayen
   ------------------------
                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)
  
   Transportation Jan Mayen
   ------------------------
                                    Waterways: none
                            Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
                                     Airports: 1 (2001)
              Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1
                                               1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)
  
   Military Jan Mayen
   ------------------
                          Military - note: defense is the responsibility of
                                           Norway
  
   Transnational Issues Jan Mayen
   ------------------------------
                                              Disputes - international: none