This uninhabited volcanic island in Antarctica is almost entirely covered by glaciers, making it difficult to approach. Bouvet Island is recognized as the most remote island on Earth because it is furthest from any other point of land (1,639 km from Antarctica). The island was named after the French naval officer who discovered it in 1739, although no country laid claim to it until 1825, when the British flag was raised. A few expeditions visited the island in the late 19th century. In 1929, the UK waived its claim in favor of Norway, which had occupied the island two years previously. In 1971, Norway designated Bouvet Island and the adjacent territorial waters as a nature reserve. Since 1977, Norway has run an automated meteorological station and studied foraging strategies and distribution of fur seals and penguins on the island. In 2006, an earthquake weakened the station’s foundation, causing it to be blown out to sea in a winter storm. Norway erected a new research station in 2014 that can hold six people for periods of two to four months.
Geography
Location
island in the South Atlantic Ocean, southwest of the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa)
Geographic coordinates
54 26 S, 3 24 E
Map references
Antarctic Region
Area
total : 49 sq km
land: 49 sq km
water: 0 sq km
comparison ranking: total 231
Area – comparative
about 0.3 times the size of Washington, D.C.
Land boundaries
total: 0 km
Coastline
29.6 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 4 nm
Climate
antarctic
Terrain
volcanic; coast is mostly inaccessible
Elevation
highest point: Olavtoppen (Olav Peak) 780 m
lowest point: South Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Natural resources
none
Land use
agricultural land: 0% (2018 est.)
arable land: 0% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.)
forest: 0% (2018 est.)
other: 100% (2018 est.)
Natural hazards
occasional volcanism, rock slides; harsh climate, surrounded by pack ice in winter
Geography – note
almost entirely covered by glacial ice (93%); declared a nature reserve by Norway; the distance from Bouvet Island to Norway is 12,776 km, which is almost one-third the circumference of the earth
People and Society
Population
total: uninhabited
note: a small, seasonal research station is located in the northwest corner of Bouvet Island
Environment
Climate
antarctic
Land use
agricultural land: 0% (2018 est.)
arable land: 0% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.)
forest: 0% (2018 est.)
other: 100% (2018 est.)
Government
Country name
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Bouvet Island
etymology: named after the French naval officer Jean-Baptiste Charles BOUVET who discovered the island in 1739
note: pronounced boo-vay i-land
Dependency status
territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice and Oslo Police
Legal system
the laws of Norway apply
Flag description
the flag of Norway is used
Communications
Internet country code
.bv
