Svalbard (territory of Norway)
_Svalbard.jpg)
See regional map XI
Geography
Total area: 62,049 km²; land area: 62,049
km²; includes Spitsbergen and Bjørnøya
(Bear Island)
Comparative area: slightly smaller than West Virginia
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 3,587 km
Maritime claims:
- Contiguous zone: 10 nm
- Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation
- Extended economic zone: 200 nm unilaterally claimed by Norway, not recognized by USSR
- Territorial sea: 4 nm
Disputes: focus of maritime boundary dispute between Norway and USSR
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
Natural resources: coal, copper, iron ore, phosphate, zinc, wildlife, fish
Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 100% other; there are no trees and the only bushes are crowberry and cloudberry
Environment: great calving glaciers descend to the sea
Note: located 445 km north of Norway where the Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea, Greenland Sea, and Norwegian Sea meet
People
Population: 3,942 (July 1990), growth rate
NA% (1990); about one-third of the
population resides in the Norwegian areas (Longyearbyen and Svea on Vestspitsbergen)
and two-thirds in the Soviet areas
(Barentsburg and Pyramiden on Vestspitsbergen);
about 9 persons live at the Polish
research station
Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: NA migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: NA years male, NA years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman (1990)
Ethnic divisions: 64% Russian, 35% Norwegian, 1% other (1981)
Language: Russian, Norwegian
Literacy: NA%
Labor force: NA
Organized labor: none
Government
Long-form name: none
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
Leaders: Chief of State—King OLAV V (since 21 September 1957); Head of Government Governor Leif ELDRING (since NA)
Flag: the flag of Norway is used
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 Soviet. Each company
mines about half a million tons of coal
annually. 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.
Electricity: 21,000 kW capacity; 45 million kWh produced, 11,420 kWh per capita (1989)
Currency: Norwegian krone (plural—kroner); 1 Norwegian krone (NKr) = 100 øre
Exchange rates: Norwegian kroner (NKr) per US$1—6.5405 (January 1990), 6.9045 (1989), 6.5170 (1988), 6.7375 (1987), 7.3947 (1986), 8.5972 (1985)
Communications
Ports: limited facilities Ny-Alesund,
Advent Bay
Airports: 4 total, 4 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 2,439 m; 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: 5 meteorological/radio stations; stations—1 AM, 1 (2 relays) FM, 1 TV
Defense Forces
Note: demilitarized by treaty (9 February
1920)