Where is Bouvet Island?

Welcome to Bouvet Island, a small volcanic rock in the South Atlantic. The Sub-Antarctic territory is thousands of kilometres from civilisation, and its high cliffs and ice-cap mean very few people have ever put a foot on it. The weather doesn't help. Sticking out of the ocean the way it does means conditions can deteriorate very fast.

Could Bouvet tell us about the past climate of Antarctica?

One minute the skies are clear, the next you're surrounded by cloud. No wonder sailors call Bouvet the world's most remote island; no wonder writers and science fiction movie-makers keep using it in their storylines. But this loner is drawing increasing scientific interest for what it could tell us about the past climate of Antarctica.

How far is Bouvet Island from Antarctica?

Bouvet Island is one of the most remote islands in the world. The closest land is Queen Maud Land of Antarctica, which is 1,700 km (1,100 mi) to the south, : 58 and Gough Island, 1,845 km (1,146 mi) to the north.

How did Bouvet Island become a dependency?

The expedition carried out aerial photography of the island and was the first Antarctic expedition to use aircraft. : 64 The Dependency Act, passed by the Parliament of Norway on 27 February 1930, established Bouvet Island as a Norwegian dependency, along with Peter I Island and Queen Maud Land.

How did Bouvet Island get its name?

At that point, the island was given its current name of Bouvet Island ("Bouvetøya" in Norwegian). In 1930, following resolution of a dispute with the United Kingdom over claiming rights, it was declared a Norwegian dependency. In 1971, it was designated a nature reserve.

Are there humans on Bouvet Island?

In 1971, Norway declared the island a protected nature reserve. Today, there is virtually no sign of human activity at Bouvet, with the exception of a single weather station located at Nyrøysa. This is the most common landing point on the island created by a rockslide in the 1950s. Penguins are the most apparent life on the island.