2008 Edition
CIA World Factbook 2008 (Project Gutenberg)
Introduction
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
Area
total: 61,020 sq km land: 61,020 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
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; Spitsbergen Island is the site of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, a seed repository established by the Global Crop Diversity Trust and the Norwegian Government
Irrigated land
NA
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (no trees; the only bushes are crowberry and cloudberry) (2005)
Location
Northern Europe, islands between the Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea, Greenland Sea, and Norwegian Sea, north of Norway
Map references
Arctic Region
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 4 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm unilaterally claimed by Norway but not recognized by Russia
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
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 (2008 est.)
Death rate
NA (2008 est.)
Ethnic groups
Norwegian 55.4%, Russian and Ukrainian 44.3%, other 0.3% (1998)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
0% (2001)
HIV/AIDS - deaths
0 (2001)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
0 (2001)
Infant mortality rate
total: NA male: NA female: NA (2008 est.)
Languages
Norwegian, Russian
Life expectancy at birth
total population: NA male: NA female: NA (2008 est.)
Literacy
NA
Net migration rate
NA (2008 est.)
Population
2,165 (July 2008 est.)
Population growth rate
-0.023% (2008 est.)
Sex ratio
NA
Total fertility rate
NA (2008 est.)
Government
Capital
name: Longyearbyen geographic coordinates: 78 13 N, 15 33 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Country name
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Svalbard (sometimes referred to as Spitzbergen)
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
Executive branch
chief of state: King HARALD V of Norway (since 17 January 1991) head of government: Governor Per SEFLAND (since 1 October 2005); Assistant Governor Rune Baard HANSEN (since 2003) 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
the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply
Political pressure groups and leaders
NA
Economy
Budget
revenues: $25.07 million expenditures: $NA (2004 est.)
Currency (code)
Norwegian krone (NOK)
Currency code
NOK
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 gave 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%
Exchange rates
Norwegian kroner (NOK) per US dollar - 5.8396 (2007), 6.4117 (2006), 6.4425 (2005), 6.7408 (2004), 7.0802 (2003)
Exports
$197.6 million (2004)
GDP - real growth rate
NA%
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$NA
Imports
$NA
Labor force
NA
Communications
Internet country code
.sj
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
13 (Svalbard and Jan Mayen) (2000)
Internet users
NA
Radio broadcast stations
AM 1, FM 1 (plus 2 repeaters), shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios
NA
Telephone system
general assessment: probably adequate domestic: local telephone service international: country code - 47-790; satellite earth station - 1 of unknown type (for communication with Norwegian mainland only)
Telephones - main lines in use
NA
Television broadcast stations
NA
Televisions
NA
Transportation
Airports
4 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways
total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2007)
Heliports
1 (2007)
Ports and terminals
Barentsburg, Longyearbyen, Ny-Alesund, Pyramiden
Military and Security
Military - note
Svalbard is a territory of Norway, demilitarized by treaty on 9 February 1920
Military branches
no regular military forces
Transnational Issues
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 18 December, 2008