Trivia in Bouvet Island

Learn fascinating facts and trivia about this country

Antarctica / Antarctica

National symbols

Flag: Uses the Norwegian flag

Bouvet Island Flag

Emblem: Applies the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Norway

Bouvet Island Emblem

Trivia & facts

  • ISO 3166 assigns an independent country code BV/BVT, but in reality, it is an uninhabited island.
  • Known as one of the most difficult DXCC entities in amateur radio, with prefix 3Y.
  • 93% of the island is covered by glaciers, with helicopter landings conducted on the relatively flat lava shelf Nyrøysa on the west coast.
  • In 1979's Vela Incident, a flash resembling a nuclear test was observed near the island, but the cause remains unknown.
  • The 2004 film 'Alien vs. Predator' featured the island as its setting.
  • The internet TLD '.bv' is allocated but not operated by Norwegian government policy.
  • King penguin 'Nils Olav III' at Edinburgh Zoo holds the title of Baron of Bouvet Island.
  • Access is limited to a few research vessels and military ships per year, with helicopter landing almost essential.
  • The island is a shield volcano formed by volcanic activity at the southernmost part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
  • The nearest inhabited place is Tristan da Cunha, approximately 2,260 km away.

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