At the top of the world, Jan Mayen is a lonely place. The Norwegian island is home to a few weather stations and a small military garrison, and is otherwise uninhabited. The forbidding landscape is dominated by the snow-capped peaks of the Beerenberg volcano, the northernmost active volcano on Earth. The ash-blackened slopes are strewn with glaciers and volcanic rock, while the coast is battered by huge waves. There is little vegetation, and what there is is mostly lichen and moss. But for hikers and wildlife enthusiasts, Jan Mayen is a paradise. The island is a haven for arctic wildlife, including walrus, reindeer and arctic fox, and is a popular destination for whale-watching. The lack of human interference has also allowed the development of some of the most pristine Arctic landscapes in the world.
