Svalbard

Internet country code

.sj

Internet users

NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 1 (plus 2 repeaters), shortwave 0 (1998)

Telephone system

general assessment: probably adequate domestic: local telephone service international: country code - 47-790; satellite earth station - 1 of unknown type (for communication with Norwegian mainland only)

Telephones - main lines in use

NA

Telephones - mobile cellular

NA

Television broadcast stations

NA

Budget

revenues: $11.5 million expenditures: $11.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1998 est.)

Currency (code)

Norwegian krone (NOK)

Economic aid - recipient

$8.2 million from Norway (1998)

Economy - 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 hunting of seal, reindeer, and fox.

Exchange rates

Norwegian kroner per US dollar - 6.7408 (2004), 7.0802 (2003), 7.9838 (2002), 8.9917 (2001), 8.8018 (2000)

Exports

$NA

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$NA

GDP - real growth rate

NA%

Imports

$NA

Labor force

NA

Area

total: 62,049 sq km land: 62,049 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Spitsbergen and Bjornoya (Bear Island)

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than West Virginia

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

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Arctic Ocean 0 m highest point: Newtontoppen 1,717 m

Environment - current issues

NA

Geographic coordinates

78 00 N, 20 00 E

Geography - note

northernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway; consists of nine main islands; glaciers and snowfields cover 60% of the total area

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (no trees, and the only bushes are crowberry and cloudberry) (2001)

Location

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

Map references

Arctic Region

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 4 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm unilaterally claimed by Norway but not recognized by Russia

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

Natural resources

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

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

Capital

Longyearbyen

Country name

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Svalbard (sometimes referred to as Spitzbergen)

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

Executive branch

chief of state: King HARALD V of Norway (since 17 January 1991) head of government: Governor Odd Olsen INGERO (since 8 June 2001) and Assistant Governor Rune Baard HANSEN (since NA) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor and assistant governor responsible to the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice

Flag description

the flag of Norway is used

Government type

NA

Independence

none (territory of Norway)

International organization participation

none

Legal system

NA

National holiday

NA

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.

Military - note

demilitarized by treaty on 9 February 1920

Age structure

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

Birth rate

NA births/1,000 population

Death rate

NA deaths/1,000 population

Ethnic groups

Norwegian 55.4%, Russian and Ukrainian 44.3%, other 0.3% (1998)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0% (2001)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

0 (2001)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

0 (2001)

Infant mortality rate

total: NA male: NA female: NA

Languages

Norwegian, Russian

Life expectancy at birth

total population: NA years male: NA years female: NA years

Literacy

NA

Net migration rate

NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Population

2,701 (July 2005 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.02% (2005 est.)

Sex ratio

NA%

Total fertility rate

NA children born/woman

Disputes - 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

Airports

4 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Highways

total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Ports and harbors

Barentsburg, Longyearbyen, Ny-Alesund, Pyramiden