Map of Svalbard | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide19891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023 | More stats

top of page


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.


top of page


Location:

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Arctic Region, Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area
Total: 62,049 km²
Land: 62,049 km²

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 3,587 km
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm unilaterally claimed by Norway but not recognized by Russia
Territorial sea: 4 nm

Maritime claims

Climate:

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

Elevation

Natural resources: coal, copper, iron ore, phosphate, zinc, wildlife, fish

Land use
Arable land: 0%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 0%
Forest and woodland: 0%
Other: 100% (no trees and the only bushes are crowberry and cloudberry)

Irrigated land: NA km²

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography


top of page


Population: 3,209 (July 1993 est.)
Growth rate: -2.84% (1993 est.)

Nationality

Ethnic groups: Russian 64%, Norwegian 35%, other 1% (1981)

Languages: Russian, Norwegian
Total population: NA%
Male: NA%
Female: NA%

Religions

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: -2.84% (1993 est.)

Birth rate: NA births/1000 population

Death rate: NA deaths/1000 population

Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1000 population

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: great calving glaciers descend to the sea

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: NA years
Male: NA years
Female: NA years

Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


top of page


Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Svalbard

Government type: 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

Capital: Longyearbyen

Administrative divisions

Dependent areas

Independence: none (territory of Norway)

National holiday: NA

Constitution

Legal system: NA

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage

Executive branch

Legislative branch

Judicial branch

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: none

Diplomatic representation

Flag description: the flag of Norway is used

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


top of page


Economy 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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate

Real gdp per capita ppp

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products

Industries

Industrial production growth rate

Labor force: NA

Unemployment rate

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues $13.3 million; expenditures $13.3 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990)

Public debt

Taxes and other revenues

Revenue

Fiscal year

Current account balance

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports

Imports

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Norwegian kroner (NKr) per US$1 - 6.8774 (January 1993), 6.2145 (1992), 6.4829 (1991), 6.2597 (1990), 6.9045 (1989), 6.5170 (1988)


top of page


Electricity access

Electricity production: 21,000 kW capacity; 45 million kWh produced, 13,860 kWh per capita (1992)

Electricity consumption

Electricity exports

Electricity imports

Electricity installed generating capacity

Electricity transmission distribution losses

Electricity generation sources

Petroleum

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


top of page


Telephones fixed lines

Telephones mobile cellular

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet country code

Internet users

Broadband fixed subscriptions


top of page


Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 4
Usable: 4
With permanentsurface runways: 1
With runways over 3659 m: 0
With runways 2440-3659 m: 0
With runways 1220-2439 m: 1

Airports with paved runways

Airports with unpaved runways

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


top of page


Disputes international:

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs