| Bouvet Island, South Atlantic Ocean: Bouvet Island (in
Norwegian, Bouvetøya) is known as the most remote island in the
world; Antarctica, over 1600 kilometers (994 miles) to the south, is
the nearest land mass. Located near the junction between the South
American, African, and Antarctic tectonic plates, the island is
mostly formed from a shield volcano—a broad, gently sloping cone
formed by thin, fluid lavas—that is almost entirely covered by
glaciers. The prominent Kapp (Cape) Valdivia on the northern
coastline is a peninsula formed by a lava dome, a volcanic feature
built by viscous lavas with a high silica content. It is only along
the steep cliffs of the coastline that the underlaying dark volcanic
rock is visible against the white snow and ice blanketing the
island. Bouvet Island was discovered by the French Captain
Lozier-Bouvet in 1739, and was subsequently visited by
representatives of different nations several times during the
nineteenth century. The island was annexed by the Kingdom of Norway
in 1927 following a Norwegian expedition’s stay on the island. Bouvet
is uninhabited, and its extremely harsh environment precludes
anything but short-duration stays. Nevertheless, the island supports
some flora (such as lichens) and fauna (seabirds and seals). Abundant
sea ice surrounds the island in this astronaut photograph. |
