Jan Mayen Island

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Described as one of the most remote islands in the world, Jan Mayen lies between Norway to the east and Greenland to the west. It is a rugged volcanic island 34 miles long and is made up of two parts – the larger section to the north (Beerenbeg Volcano) and the longer but narrower section to the south. A mile-wide isthmus links these two parts. Geologically, the island was formed by a ‘hotspot’ where molten magma pushes up through the earth’s crust to create volcanoes in the middle of nowhere. Politically, Jan Mayen is an integral part of Norway. The eighteen people living on the island work for either the NorwegianArmed Forces or the Norwegian Meteorological Institute. Their main purpose is to operate the Loran-C radio navigation system. From 1615 to 1638, the Dutch ran a whaling station here. Today, the island is a nature reserve underNorwegian jurisdiction aimed at preserving the pristine Arctic island and the marine life, including the ocean floor.