Svalbard
NAIndependence none (territory of Norway)
Svalbard as the 2015 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 71 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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. In the 20th century coal mining started and today a Norwegian and a Russian company are still functioning. Travel between the settlements is accomplished with snowmobiles, aircraft, and boats.
Geography
Northern Europe, islands between the Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea, Greenland Sea, and Norwegian Sea, north of Norway
17 fieldsLand useshare of 62,045 sq km
Location
Northern Europe, islands between the Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea, Greenland Sea, and Norwegian Sea, north of Norway
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
- rugged mountains;
- much of the upland areas are ice covered;
- west coast clear of ice about half the year;
- fjords along west and north coasts
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;
- 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
People and Society
8 fieldsEthnic groups(1998)
Government
NA; King HARALD V of Norway (since 17 January 1991); Governor Odd Olsen INGERO (since September 2009)
13 fieldsCountry name
- conventional long form:
- none
- conventional short form:
- Svalbard (sometimes referred to as Spitsbergen, the largest island in the archipelago)
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
Capital
- name:
- Longyearbyen
- geographic coordinates:
- 78 13 N, 15 38 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
Legal system
- the laws of Norway where applicable apply only the laws of Norway made explicitly applicable to Svalbard have effect there;
- the Svalbard Act and the Svalbard Environmental Protection Act, and certain regulations, apply only to Svalbard;
- the Spitsbergen Treaty and the Svalbard Treaty grants certain rights to citizens and corporations of signatory nations
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- King HARALD V of Norway (since 17 January 1991)
- head of government:
- Governor Odd Olsen INGERO (since September 2009); Assistant Governor Lars Erik ALHEIM
- elections/appointments:
- none;
- the monarchy is hereditary;
- governor and assistant governor responsible to the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice
Judicial branch
highest court(s): none; note - Svalbard is subordinate to Norway's Nord-Troms District Court and Halogaland Court of Appeal, both located in Tromso
National anthem
note: as a territory of Norway, "Ja, vi elsker dette landet" is official (see Norway)
Economy
Coal mining, tourism, and international research are Svalbard's major revenue sources.
9 fieldsEconomy - overview
Coal mining, tourism, and international research are Svalbard's major revenue sources. Coal mining is the dominant economic activity and a 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 engaging in this are Norwegian and Russian.
The settlements on Svalbard were established as company towns, and at their height in the 1950s, the Norwegian state-owned coal company supported around 1,000 jobs. Today, around 300 people work in the mining industry. Since the 1990s the tourism and hospitality industry has grown rapidly and Svalbard now receives 60,000 visitors annually.
Goods such as alcohol, tobacco, and vehicles, normally highly taxed on mainland Norway, are considerably cheaper in Svalbard in an effort by the Norwegian government to entice more people to live on the Arctic archipelago. By law, the Norway collects only enough taxes to pay for the needs of the local government; none of tax proceeds go to Norway.
Exchange rates
Norwegian kroner (NOK) per US dollar - 6.3021 (2014) · 5.876 (2013) · 5.82 (2012) · 5.6065 (2011) · 6.0442 (2010)
Energy
10 fieldsElectricity
Communications
5 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- adequate
- domestic:
- local telephone service
- international:
- country code - 47-790; satellite earth station - 1 of unknown type (for communication with Norwegian mainland only) (2005)
Broadcast media
- the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) began direct TV transmission to Svalbard via satellite in 1984;
- Longyearbyen households have access to 3 NRK radio and 2 TV stations (2008)
Transportation
5 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved only
Military
No regular military forces
2 fieldsMilitary - note
- Svalbard is a territory of Norway, demilitarized by treaty on 9 February 1920;
- Norwegian military activity is limited to fisheries surveillance by the Norwegian Coast Guard
Transnational Issues
1 fieldDisputes - 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
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Svalbard.” The World Factbook 2015. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/svalbard/2015.