Internet country code [time series]

.bv

Climate [time series]

antarctic

Land use [time series]

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.)

Area [time series]

total : 49 sq km land: 49 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

about 0.3 times the size of Washington, D.C.

Climate [time series]

antarctic

Coastline [time series]

29.6 km

Elevation [time series]

highest point: Olavtoppen (Olav Peak) 780 m lowest point: South Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Geographic coordinates [time series]

54 26 S, 3 24 E

Geography - note [time series]

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

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 0 km

Land use [time series]

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.)

Location [time series]

island in the South Atlantic Ocean, southwest of the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa)

Map references [time series]

Antarctic Region

Maritime claims [time series]

territorial sea: 4 nm

Natural hazards [time series]

occasional volcanism, rock slides; harsh climate, surrounded by pack ice in winter

Natural resources [time series]

none

Terrain [time series]

volcanic; coast is mostly inaccessible

Country name [time series]

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 [time series]

territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice and Oslo Police

Flag [time series]

the flag of Norway is used

Legal system [time series]

the laws of Norway apply

Background [time series]

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.

Population [time series]

total: uninhabited note: a small, seasonal research station is located in the northwest corner of Bouvet Island