1995 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1995 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 62,049 sq km land area: 62,049 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than West Virginia note: includes Spitsbergen and Bjornoya (Bear Island)
Climate
arctic, tempered by warm North Atlantic Current; cool summers, cold winters; North Atlantic Current flows along west and north coasts of Spitsbergen, keeping water open and navigable most of the year
Coastline
3,587 km
Environment
current issues: NA natural hazards: ice floes often block up the entrance to Bellsund (a transit point for coal export) on the west coast and occasionally make parts of the northeastern coast inaccessible to maritime traffic international agreements: NA
International disputes
focus of maritime boundary dispute in the Barents Sea between Norway and Russia
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100% (no trees and the only bushes are crowberry and cloudberry)
Location
Northern Europe, islands between the Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea, Greenland Sea, and Norwegian Sea, north of Norway
Map references
Arctic Region
Maritime claims
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm unilaterally claimed by Norway but not recognized by Russia territorial sea: 4 nm
Natural resources
coal, copper, iron ore, phosphate, zinc, wildlife, fish
Note
northernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway; consists of nine main islands; glaciers and snowfields cover 60% of the total area
Terrain
wild, rugged mountains; much of high land ice covered; west coast clear of ice about half the year; fjords along west and north coasts
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA
Birth rate
NA births/1,000 population
Death rate
NA deaths/1,000 population
Ethnic divisions
Russian 64%, Norwegian 35%, other 1% (1981)
Infant mortality rate
NA deaths/1,000 live births
Labor force
NA
Languages
Russian, Norwegian
Life expectancy at birth
total population: NA years male: NA years female: NA years
Net migration rate
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
Population
2,914 (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate
-3.5% (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate
NA children born/woman
Government
Capital
Longyearbyen
Chief of State
King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991)
Digraph
SV
Flag
the flag of Norway is used
Head of Government
Governor Odd BLOMDAL (since NA); Assistant Governor Jan-Atle HANSEN (since NA September 1993)
Independence
none (territory of Norway)
Legal system
NA
Member of
none
Names
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Svalbard
National holiday
NA
Type
territory of Norway administered by the Ministry of Industry, Oslo, through a governor (sysselmann) residing in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen; by treaty (9 February 1920) sovereignty was given to Norway
Economy
Budget
revenues: $13.3 million expenditures: $13.3 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990 est.)
Currency
1 Norwegian krone (NKr) = 100 oere
Electricity
capacity: 21,000 kW production: 45 million kWh consumption per capita: 13,860 kWh (1992)
Exchange rates
Norwegian kroner (NKr) per US$1 - 6.7014 (January 1995), 7.0469 (1994), 7.0941 (1993), 6.2145 (1992), 6.4829 (1991), 6.2597 (1990)
Overview
Coal mining is the major economic activity on Svalbard. By treaty (9 February 1920), the nationals of the treaty powers have equal rights to exploit mineral deposits, subject to Norwegian regulation. Although US, UK, Dutch, and Swedish coal companies have mined in the past, the only companies still mining are Norwegian and Russian. The settlements on Svalbard are essentially company towns. The Norwegian state-owned coal company employs nearly 60% of the Norwegian population on the island, runs many of the local services, and provides most of the local infrastructure. There is also some trapping of seal, polar bear, fox, and walrus.
Communications
Note
there are 5 meteorological/radio stations
Radio
broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1 (repeaters 2), shortwave 0 radios: NA
Telephone system
NA telephones; local telephone service local: NA intercity: NA international: satellite communication with Norwegian mainland
Television
broadcast stations: 1 televisions: NA
Transportation
Airports
total: 4 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 3
Highways
total: NA paved: NA unpaved: NA
Merchant marine
none
Ports
Barentsburg, Longyearbyen, Ny-Alesund, Pyramiden
Railroads
0 km
Military and Security
Note
demilitarized by treaty (9 February 1920) ________________________________________________________________________ SWAZILAND