1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Area
total: 62,049 sq km land: 62,049 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Spitsbergen and Bjornoya (Bear Island)
Area--comparative
slightly smaller than West Virginia
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
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Arctic Ocean 0 m highest point: Newtontoppen 1,717 m
Environment--current issues
NA
Environment--international agreements
party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geographic coordinates
78 00 N, 20 00 E
Geography--note
northernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway; consists of nine main islands; glaciers and snowfields cover 60% of the total area
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests 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 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
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
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 groups
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
total population: NA years male: NA years female: NA years
Net migration rate
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
Population
2,503 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
-3.55% (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate
NA children born/woman
Government
Capital
Longyearbyen
Country name
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Svalbard (sometimes referred to as Spitzbergen)
Data code
SV
Dependency status
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
Executive branch
chief of state: King HARALD V of Norway (since 17 January 1991) head of government: Governor Ann-Kristin OLSEN (since NA) and Assistant Governor Jan-Atle HANSEN (since NA September 1993) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor and assistant governor responsible to the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice
Flag description
the flag of Norway is used
Government type
NA
Independence
none (territory of Norway)
International organization participation
none
Legal system
NA
National holiday
NA
Economy
Budget
revenues: $11.7 million expenditures: $11.7 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)
Currency
1 Norwegian krone (NKr) = 100 oere
Economic aid--recipient
$8.7 million from Norway (1997)
Economy--overview
Coal mining is the major economic activity on Svalbard. The treaty of 9 February 1920 gives the 41 signatories 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--consumption
NA kWh
Electricity--exports
NA kWh
Electricity--imports
NA kWh
Electricity--production
NA kWh
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA%
Exchange rates
Norwegian kroner (NKr) per US$1--7.4524 (January 1999), 7.5451 (1998), 7.0734 (1997), 6.4498 (1996), 6.3352 (1995), 7.0576 (1994)
Exports
$NA
GDP
$NA
GDP--per capita
$NA
GDP--real growth rate
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$NA
Industrial production growth rate
NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
NA%
Labor force
NA
Population below poverty line
NA%
Communications
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
NA
Televisions
NA
Transportation
Airports
4 (1998 est.) Airports--with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1998 est.) Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 3 under 914 m: 3 (1998 est.)
Highways
total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km Ports and harbors: Barentsburg, Longyearbyen, Ny-Alesund, Pyramiden
Merchant marine
none
Railways
0 km
Military and Security
Military--note
demilitarized by treaty (9 February 1920)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international
Svalbard is the focus of a maritime boundary dispute in the Barents Sea between Norway and Russia