Map of Svalbard | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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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.


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Location: Northern Europe, islands between the Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea, Greenland Sea, and Norwegian Sea, north of Norway

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Arctic Region

Area
Total area total: 62,049 km²
Land: 62,049 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than West Virginia
Note: includes Spitsbergen and Bjornoya (Bear Island)

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 3,587 km

Maritime claims
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm unilaterally claimed by Norway but not recognized by Russia
Territorial sea: 4 nm

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

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
Note:


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Population: 2,914 (July 1995 est.)
Growth rate: -3.5% (1995 est.)

Nationality

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

Languages: Russian, Norwegian

Religions

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: -3.5% (1995 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: NA
Current issues 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
Current issues international agreements: NA

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


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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
Chief of State: King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991)
Head of Government: Governor Odd BLOMDAL (since NA); Assistant Governor Jan-Atle HANSEN (since NA September 1993)

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


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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

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 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year

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 - 6.7014 (January 1995), 7.0469 (1994), 7.0941 (1993), 6.2145 (1992), 6.4829 (1991), 6.2597 (1990)


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Electricity
Capacity: 21,000 kW
Production: 45 million kWh
Production consumption per capita: 13,860 kWh (1992)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system: NA telephones; local telephone service
Local: NA
Intercity: NA
International: satellite communication with Norwegian mainland

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 4
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 3

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine: none

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: focus of maritime boundary dispute in the Barents Sea between Norway and Russia

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs