Page last updated on February 08, 2019

Location:
island in the South Atlantic Ocean, southwest of the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa)

Geographic coordinates:
54 26 S, 3 24 E

Map references:
Antarctic Region

Area:
total: 49 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 49 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 0 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 233

Area - comparative:
about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
29.6 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 4 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - territorial sea country ranks ]

Climate:
antarctic

Terrain:
volcanic; coast is mostly inaccessible

Elevation:
mean elevation: 0 m lowest point: South Atlantic Ocean
780 highest point: Olavtoppen (Olav Peak)

Natural resources:
none

Land use:
agricultural land: 0% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
arable land: 0% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 0% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
permanent pasture: 0% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent pasture country ranks ]
forest: 0% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 100% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Natural hazards:
occasional volcanism, rock slides; harsh climate, surrounded by pack ice in winter

Environment - current issues:
none; almost entirely ice covered

Geography - note:
almost entirely covered by glacial ice (93%); declared a nature reserve by Norway; the distance from Bouvet Island to Norway is 12,776 km, which is almost one-third the circumference of the earth