1996 Edition

Description

the flag of Norway is used

Location

78 00 N, 20 00 E -- Northern Europe, islands between the Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea, Greenland Sea, and Norwegian Sea, north of Norway Flag ----

Area

comparative area

slightly smaller than West Virginia

land area

62,049 sq km

note

includes Spitsbergen and Bjornoya (Bear Island)

total area

62,049 sq km

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

international agreements

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

Geographic coordinates

78 00 N, 20 00 E

Geographic note

northernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway; consists of nine main islands; glaciers and snowfields cover 60% of the total area

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%

forest and woodland

0%

meadows and pastures

0%

other

100% (no trees and the only bushes are crowberry and cloudberry)

permanent crops

0%

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

Terrain

wild, rugged mountains; much of high land ice covered; west coast clear of ice about one-half of the year; fjords along west and north coasts

highest point

Newtontoppen 1,717 m

lowest point

Arctic Ocean 0 m

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 and Ukrainian 62%, Norwegian 38%, other NEGL% (1994)

Infant mortality rate

NA deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Russian, Norwegian

Life expectancy at birth

female

NA years

male

NA years

total population

NA years

Net migration rate

NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Population

2,715 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

-4.01% (1996 est.)

Sex ratio

all ages

NA male(s)/female

at birth

NA male(s)/female

under 15 years

NA male(s)/female 15-64 years: NA male(s)/female 65 years and over: NA male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

NA children born/woman

Capital

Longyearbyen

Chief of State

King HARALD V (of Norway since 17 January 1991) is a hereditary monarch

Data code

SV

Flag

the flag of Norway is used

Head of Government

Governor Ann-Krisitin OLSEN (since NA) and Assistant Governor Jan-Atle HANSEN (since NA September 1993) are responsible to the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice

note

Norwegian inhabitants participate in Norwegian national elections

Independence

none (territory of Norway)

International organization participation

none

Legal system

NA

Name of country

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Svalbard

National holiday

NA

Type of government

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

Budget

expenditures

$11.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.)

revenues

$11.6 million

Currency

1 Norwegian krone (NKr) = 100 oere

Economic 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.

Electricity

capacity

21,000 kW

consumption per capita

13,860 kWh (1992)

production

45 million kWh

Exchange rates

Norwegian kroner (NKr) per US$1 - 6.4160 (January 1996), 6.3352 (1995), 7.0576 (1994), 7.0941 (1993), 6.2145 (1992), 6.4829 (1991)

Labor force

NA

Defense note

demilitarized by treaty (9 February 1920)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 1 (repeaters 2), shortwave 0

note

there are five meteorological/radio stations

Radios

NA

Telephone system

domestic

local telephone service

international

satellite earth station - 1 of NA type (for communication with Norwegian mainland only)

Telephones

NA

Television broadcast stations

1

Televisions

NA Defense

Airports

total

4

with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

1

with paved runways under 914 m

3 (1995 est.)

Highways

paved

NA km

total

NA km

unpaved

NA km

Merchant marine

none

Ports

Barentsburg, Longyearbyen, Ny-Alesund, Pyramiden

Railways

0 km