Lost in the frozen seas between Greenland and Norway sits Jan Mayen: an active volcanic outpost home to zero permanent residents, but 18-35 constant temporary ones. A lesser known WWII battlefield codenamed "Island X," and one of the potential centers of an escalating modern conflict over Arctic mineral wealth. Why does this tiny strip of land dominated by the world’s northernmost active volcano matter so much to global superpowers? From 17th-century Dutch whaling, German air raids and Norwegian annexation, in this video we go into the history of Norway's "forgotten" island.
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Norway's Missing Island
00:33 Where / How Big is Jan Mayen?
01:56 The World's Northernmost Volcano
02:46 Who Lives on the Island?
03:58 How do You Get There?
04:51 Connection with Svalbard, Bouvet Island, Peter I Island & Queen Maud's Land in Antarctica
06:44 Why Does It Belong to Norway?
07:45 The History of Jan Mayen: Early Viking Reports
08:38 17th Century Rediscovery
10:12 Etymology
10:41 Dutch Settlement + Whale Oil Exploration
12:42 20th Century Polar Exploration & Norwegian Settlement
13:51 Surprising Role During WW2
15:02 Modern Relevance of the Island
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