SVALBARD
(territory of Norway)
GEOGRAPHY
Total area: 62,049 km2; land area: 62,049 km2; includes Spitsbergen
and Bjornoya (Bear Island)
Comparative area: slightly smaller than West Virginia
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 3,587 km
Maritime claims:
Exclusive fishing 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: 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
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 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
Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population (1991)
Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population (1991)
Net migration rate: NA migrants/1,000 population (1991)
Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
Life expectancy at birth: NA years male, NA years female (1991)
Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman (1991)
Ethnic divisions: Russian 64%, Norwegian 35%, other 1% (1981)
Language: Russian, Norwegian
Literacy: NA% (male NA%, female 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 HARALD V (since 17 January 1991);
Head of Government--Governor Leif ELDRING (since NA)
Member of: none
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.
Budget: revenues $13.3 million, expenditures $13.3 million,
including capital expenditures of $NA (1990)
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 ore
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)
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)