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Jan Mayen, Iceland - travel guide
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TIXIK.com » Iceland » Austurland » Jan Mayen
The island Jan Mayen attracts the really true lovers of unspoiled wilderness. On the northern tip of the island, called Nord-Jan, is the only active volcano in Norway . It is called Beerenberg and measures 2277 meters. In total, the island covers the area of more than 380 sq km. Today, there is no shelter on the whole island Jan Mayen except for the Norwegian meteorological station. The island Jan Mayen is thus convenient only for the lovers of true outdoor. You must carry all supplies and equipment with you but you will be rewarded by pure and wild nature unspoiled by human.
The island Jan Mayen was discovered in 1614 by an English sailor, captain John Clark. He named the unknown island Isabella but the name was not much used. The same year, the Dutch also sailed around the island. They spotted it thinking it had not yet been discovered and named it after their captain Jan Mayen. Since then, the island carries this name. In the 17th century, whaling became popular in the area. The Dutch even sent several sailors on the uninhabited island, so that they emphasized their reign over the island. However, all these sailors eventually died. In the 20th century, the island Jan Mayen was a temporary home to several polar expeditions. A meteorological station was also built there. Today, the island Jan Mayen belongs to Norway and is the cause of disputes between Norway and Denmark over the fishing zone. The island is administrated by the region Nordland. Its administrative center is Bodø .
The island Jan Mayen is relatively far from the European mainland, in particular from Norway - more than 1000 km away. Therefore, it is quite difficult to even reach the island. The way to Jan Mayen is complicated by unstable weather in the region. Moreover, you also need permission from the Norwegian government to enter the island Jan Mayen. There are also a few companies that specialize on expeditions to this island. One of them is the Arcturus Expeditions.
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