icit drugs:
transshipment point for cocaine from South America to North America
and Europe; illicit cultivation of cannabis; government has an
active manual cannabis eradication program; corruption is a major
concern; substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian narcotics
traffickers favor Jamaica for illicit financial transactions
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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@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: 377 sq km
land: 377 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
124.1 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 4 nm
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 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% (2005)
Irrigated land:
0 sq km
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 2006 est.)
Government Jan Mayen
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Jan Mayen
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