Statistics Svalbard 
Svalbard in the World
Svalbard - Introduction 2003
top of pageBackground: 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
Total: 62,049 km²
Note: includes Spitsbergen and Bjornoya (Bear Island)
Water: 0 km²
Land: 62,049 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than West Virginia
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 one-half of the year; fjords along west and north coasts
Land use
Arable land: 0%
Permanent crops: 0%
Other: 100% (no trees, and the only bushes are crowberry and cloudberry) (1998 est.)
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
Geography
Note: northernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway; consists of nine main islands; glaciers and snowfields cover 60% of the total area
Svalbard - People 2003
top of pageSvalbard - Government 2003
top of pageCountry name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Svalbard (sometimes referred to as Spitzbergen)
Executive branch
Chief of state: King HARALD V of Norway (since 17 January 1991)
Head of government: Governor Morten RUUD (since NA November 1998) and Assistant Governor Odd Redar HUMLEGAARD (since NA)
Elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor and assistant governor responsible to the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice
Svalbard - Economy 2003
top of pageEconomy 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.
Budget
Revenues: $11.5 million
Expenditures: $11.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)
Exchange rates: Norwegian kroner per US dollar - 7.9838 (2002) 8.9917 (2001) 8.8018 (2000) 7.7992 (1999) 7.5451 (1998)
Svalbard - Energy 2003
top of pageElectricity
Production: NA kWh
Production by source fossil fuel: 58%
Production by source other: 0%
Production by source hydro: 42%
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Consumption: NA kWh
Svalbard - Communication 2003
top of pageTelephone system
General assessment: probably adequate
Domestic: local telephone service
International: satellite earth station - 1 of unknown type (for communication with Norwegian mainland only)
Svalbard - Military 2003
top of pageSvalbard - Transportation 2003
top of pageAirports: 4 (2002)
With paved runways total: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1 (2002)
With unpaved runways total: 2
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Svalbard - Transnational issues 2003
top of pageDisputes 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
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