2007 Edition

Age structure

0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2006 est.)

Airports

4 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

total

2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

2

under 914 m

2 (2006)

Area

land

61,020 sq km

note

includes Spitsbergen and Bjornoya (Bear Island)

total

61,020 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than West Virginia

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. Geography Svalbard

Birth rate

NA births/1,000 population

Budget

expenditures

$NA

revenues

$25.07 million

Capital

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

geographic coordinates

78 13 N, 15 33 E

name

Longyearbyen

time difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

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

Country name

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Svalbard (sometimes referred to as Spitzbergen)

Currency (code)

Norwegian krone (NOK)

Currency code

NOK

Death rate

NA deaths/1,000 population

Dependency status

territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice, through a governor (sysselmann) residing in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen; by treaty (9 February 1920) sovereignty was awarded to Norway

Disputes - international

despite recent discussions, Russia and Norway dispute their maritime limits in the Barents Sea and Russia's fishing rights beyond Svalbard's territorial limits within the Svalbard Treaty zone This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

Economic aid - recipient

$8.2 million from Norway (1998)

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 hunting of seal, reindeer, and fox.

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

57.9984%

hydro

42.0016%

nuclear

0%

other

0%

Elevation extremes

highest point

Newtontoppen 1,717 m

lowest point

Arctic Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

NA

Ethnic groups

Norwegian 55.4%, Russian and Ukrainian 44.3%, other 0.3% (1998)

Exchange rates

Norwegian kroner per US dollar - 6.4133 (2006), 6.4425 (2005), 6.7408 (2004), 7.0802 (2003), 7.9838 (2002) Communications Svalbard

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 Per SEFLAND (since 1 October 2005) and Assistant Governor Rune Baard HANSEN (since 2003)

Exports

$NA

Flag description

the flag of Norway is used Economy Svalbard

GDP - real growth rate

NA%

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$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; site of future seed repository under construction by the Global Crop Diversity Trust and the Norwegian Government People Svalbard

Government type

NA

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0% (2001)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

0 (2001)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

0 (2001)

Imports

$NA

Independence

none (territory of Norway)

Infant mortality rate

female

NA

male

NA

total

NA

International organization participation

none

Internet country code

.sj

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

13 (Svalbard and Jan Mayen) (2000)

Internet users

NA Transportation Svalbard

Irrigated land

NA

Labor force

NA

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

0%

other

100% (no trees, and the only bushes are crowberry and cloudberry) (2005)

permanent crops

0%

Languages

Norwegian, Russian

Legal system

NA

Life expectancy at birth

female

NA

male

NA

total population

NA

Literacy

NA Government Svalbard

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

Military - note

demilitarized by treaty on 9 February 1920 Transnational Issues Svalbard

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$5.501 billion

Natural hazards

ice floes often block 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, iron ore, copper, zinc, phosphate, wildlife, fish

Net migration rate

NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Population

2,701 (July 2006 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.02% (2006 est.)

Ports and terminals

Barentsburg, Longyearbyen, Ny-Alesund, Pyramiden Military Svalbard

Radio broadcast stations

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

Radios

NA

Sex ratio

NA

Telephone system

domestic

local telephone service

general assessment

probably adequate

international

country code - 47-790; satellite earth station - 1 of unknown type (for communication with Norwegian mainland only)

Telephones - main lines in use

NA

Telephones - mobile cellular

NA

Television broadcast stations

NA

Televisions

NA

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

Total fertility rate

NA