2000 Edition

Background

First discovered by the Norwegians in the 12th century, the islands served as an international whaling base during the 17th and 18th centuries. Norway's sovereignty was recognized in 1920; five years later it officially took over the territory.

Area

land

62,049 sq km

note

includes Spitsbergen and Bjornoya (Bear Island)

total

62,049 sq km

water

0 sq km

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

highest point

Newtontoppen 1,717 m

lowest point

Arctic Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

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%

forests and woodland

0%

other

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

permanent crops

0%

permanent pastures

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 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

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

female

NA years

male

NA years

total population

NA years

Net migration rate

NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Population

2,416 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

-3.55% (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

NA children born/woman

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)

elections

none; the monarch is hereditary; governor and assistant governor responsible to the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice

head of government

Governor Morten RUUD (since NA November 1998) and Assistant Governor Rune Baard HANSEN (since NA 1996)

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

Budget

expenditures

$11.7 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)

revenues

$11.7 million

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 - 8.0129 (January 2000), 7.7992 (1999), 7.5451 (1998), 7.0734 (1997), 6.4498 (1996), 6.3352 (1995)

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%

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 1 (plus 2 repeaters), shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

NA

Telephone system

domestic

local telephone service

international

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

Telephones - main lines in use

NA

Telephones - mobile cellular

NA

Television broadcast stations

NA

Televisions

NA

Airports

4 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

3 under 914 m: 3 (1999 est.)

Highways

paved

NA km

total

NA km

unpaved

NA km

Merchant marine

none (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors

Barentsburg, Longyearbyen, Ny-Alesund, Pyramiden

Railways

0 km

Military - note

demilitarized by treaty (9 February 1920)

SWAZILAND