Svalbard
Svalbard, a
Norwegian dependency, lies in the
Arctic Ocean north of mainland
Europe. It consists of a group of
islands ranging from 74
° to 81° North, and 10° to 34° East; it forms the northernmost part of
Norway.
History
\nMain article: History of Svalbard
Vikings and/or Russians may have discovered Svalbard as early as the 12th century. Traditional Norse accounts exist of a land known as
Svalbard - literally "cold edge". But the Dutchmanman
Willem Barents made the first indisputable discovery of Svalbard in
1596. The islands served as an international
whaling base in the
17th and
18thth centuries. They also provided the headquarters for many
Arctic exploration expeditions.
Politics
\nMain article: Government of Svalbard
By the terms of the Svalbard Treaty of February 9,
1920, international diplomacy recognized Norwegian sovereignty and designated the area as demilitarized. Norway took over administration of Svalbard in
1925. However, under the terms of this unique treaty, citizens of various other countries have rights to exploit mineral deposits and other natural resources "on a footing of absolute equality". As a result, a permanent
Russian settlement, more or less autonomous, grew up at
Barentsburg. The Russians abandoned another settlement at Pyramiden in
2000. At one time, the Russian (or
Soviet) population of Svalbard considerably exceeded the Norwegian population, although this no longer applies.
An appointed Norwegian governor, the
sysselmann, based in the town of
Longyearbyen, administers the territory.
Geography
\nMain article: Geography of Svalbard
Svalbard consists of a group of islands in the
Arctic Ocean; ranging from 74° to 81° North, and 10° to 34° East, it forms the northernmost part of
Norway. The islands cover an area of 62,050
km². Three large islands dominate:
Spitsbergen (39,000 km²),
North East Land (14,600 km²) and
Edge Island (5,000 km²).
Large parts of Svalbard feature
glaciation. Indeed, the name 'Svalbard' means 'cold coast'. However, the
North Atlantic Current moderates the Arctic climate, keeping the surrounding waters open and navigable most of the year. Svalbard lies above the
Arctic Circle. In Longyearbyen, the
midnight sun lasts from
April 20 to
August 23, and perpetual darkness lasts from
October 26 to
February 15.
Svalbard also serves as the breeding ground of the
barnacle goose and a variety of other birds; best seen from cruise ships. Four mammal species inhabit the archipelago: the Svalbard field mouse
Microtus epiroticus, the
Arctic fox, the Svalbard
reindeer (a distinct sub-species), and polar bears. Since polar bears occur very commonly on Svalbard, all people need to take precautions when outside the settlements: this includes carrying a
rifle. Nevertheless, the law protects polar bears, forbidding anyone to harm or disturb them.
Settlements\n*
Barentsburg (Баренцбург) (
Russian settlement)\n*
Bjørnøya\n*Grumant (Грумант) (Russian settlement, abandoned in
1961, revival of mining operations announced in
2003)\n*Isfjord radio\n*
Longyearbyen\n*
Ny-Ålesund\n*Pyramiden (Пирамида) (Russian settlement, abandoned in
2000)\n*
Sveagruva
No roads link the settlements on the island; transportation mechanisms include
boat,
plane,
helicopter, and
snowmobile.
Economics
\nMain article: Economics of Svalbard
Economic activity centres on coal mining, supplemented by
fishing and trapping. In the final decades of the
20th century,
tourism,
research,
higher education, and some high-tech enterprises like satellite relay-stations have grown significantly. Norway claims an exclusive fishing zone of 200
nautical miles; Russia does not recognize this.
The
Svalbard Undersea Cable System which started operation in January 2004 provides dual 1,440 km fiber optic lines from Svalbard to
Harstad via
Andøy, needed for communicating with polar orbiting
satellite stations on Svalbard, some owned by
NASA and
NOAA.
Demographics
\nMain article: Demographics of Svalbard
The population of Svalbard comprises approximately 2,400 (including a large proportion of Russian and
Ukrainian citizens).
Culture
\nMain article: Culture of Svalbard
External links
\n*Governor of Svalbard - Official site\n*
The Svalbard FAQ\n*
The Svalbard Treaty of 1920\n*
CIA world factbook on Svalbard
Category:Norway\nCategory:European dependencies
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