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 Beerenberg volcano resumed activity in 1970; it is the northernmost active volcano on earth.
Location: Nordic State, Northern Europe, in the North Atlantic Ocean, north of the Arctic Circle about 590 km north-northeast of Iceland, between the Greenland Sea and the Norwegian Sea
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.
Disputes international: dispute between Denmark and Norway over maritime boundary in Arctic Ocean between Greenland and Jan Mayen has been settled by the International Court of Justice