Bouvet Island: Flag and Facts
Bouvet Island has no flag of its own and flies the flag of Norway, the country that holds it.
- Region
- Antarctic
- Languages
- Norwegian
- Area
- 49 km² (19 sq mi)
- Calling code
- +47
- Highest point
- Olavtoppen (Olav Peak) 780 m
- Borders
- No land borders
- Status
- Territory (not a sovereign country)
About Bouvet Island
Glaciers cover almost the whole of this volcanic island, and its coastline is mostly impossible to land on. It counts as the most remote island on the planet, sitting 1,639 kilometers from Antarctica, the closest land. Nobody lives there, and its climate is antarctic.
A French naval officer spotted the island in 1739, and it carries his name. No one claimed it until 1825, when the British raised their flag. In 1929 the UK stepped aside and let Norway have it, since Norway had occupied the island two years earlier. Norway turned the island and its nearby waters into a nature reserve in 1971, and since 1977 it has run an automatic weather station there.
Did you know?
- Olavtoppen, or Olav Peak, is the highest point on Bouvet Island at 780 meters.
- Bouvet Island has no permanent population.
- Bouvet Island covers roughly 0.3 times the area of Washington, D.C.
Want to test yourself? The random flag generator has a quiz mode, and the full flags of the world page shows every flag at once.
Questions about Bouvet Island
Who owns Bouvet Island?
Norway holds Bouvet Island, after the UK gave up its claim in 1929.
Why is Bouvet Island famous?
It is considered the most remote island on Earth, 1,639 kilometers from the nearest land in Antarctica.
Sources
- CIA World Factbook, checked October 8, 2026
- REST Countries data (mledoze/countries), checked October 8, 2026
- Flag artwork: flag-icons (MIT), checked October 8, 2026
Facts are compiled from these open sources and rewritten in our own words. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.