Svalbard

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

Ports

limited facilities--Ny-Alesund, Advent Bay

Telecommunications

5 meteorological/radio stations; stations--1 AM, 1 (2 relays) FM, 1 TV

Note

demilitarized by treaty (9 February 1920)

Budget

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

Currency

Norwegian krone (plural--kroner); 1 Norwegian krone (NKr) = 100 ore

Electricity

21,000 kW capacity; 45 million kWh produced, 11,420 kWh per capita (1989)

Exchange rates

Norwegian kroner (NKr) per US$1--5.9060 (January 1991), 6.2597 (1990), 6.9045 (1989), 6.5170 (1988), 6.7375 (1987), 7.3947 (1986), 8.5972 (1985)

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.

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

Coastline

3,587 km Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm unilaterally claimed by Norway, not recognized by USSR; Territorial sea: 4 nm

Comparative area

slightly smaller than West Virginia

Disputes

focus of maritime boundary dispute between Norway and USSR

Environment

great calving glaciers descend to the sea

Land boundaries

none

Land use

arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 100%; there are no trees and the only bushes are crowberry and cloudberry

Natural resources

coal, copper, iron ore, phosphate, zinc, wildlife, fish

Note

located 445 km north of Norway where the Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea, Greenland Sea, and Norwegian Sea meet

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

Total area

62,049 km2; land area: 62,049 km2; includes Spitsbergen and Bjornoya (Bear Island)

Capital

Longyearbyen Chief of State--King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991); Head of Government--Governor Leif ELDRING (since NA)

Flag

the flag of Norway is used

Long-form name

none

Member of

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

Birth rate

NA births/1,000 population (1991)

Death rate

NA deaths/1,000 population (1991)

Ethnic divisions

Russian 64%, Norwegian 35%, other 1% (1981)

Infant mortality rate

NA deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

Labor force

NA

Language

Russian, Norwegian

Life expectancy at birth

NA years male, NA years female (1991)

Literacy

NA% (male NA%, female NA%)

Net migration rate

NA migrants/1,000 population (1991)

Organized labor

none

Population

3,942 (July 1991), growth rate NA% (1991); 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

Total fertility rate

NA children born/woman (1991)