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Svalbard

Svalbard flag
ⓘ

2021 Factbook flag mirror; image identity has not been individually audited. Source.

Last updated: October 29, 2026

Svalbard: CIA World Factbook map from 2021; original boundary notes preserved.
ⓘCIA World Factbook map, February 2021 media edition. Identity reviewed; current boundaries have not been audited. visual contact sheet or original identity check; does not verify current boundaries Boundaries, place names and designations may be dated or disputed; original annotations retained. SHA-256: 1b750203d7acdee0cd1110fa50ae6a23645949d1e3ff775a203bd33a5f265481. Provenance and inspection record.

Introduction

Background:1

Norse explorers may have first discovered the Svalbard archipelago in the 12th century. The islands served as an international whaling base during the 17th and 18th centuries. Norway's sovereignty was internationally recognized by treaty in 1920, and five years later Norway officially took over the territory. Coal mining started in the 20th century, and a Norwegian company and a Russian company are still in operation today. Travel between the settlements is accomplished with snowmobiles, aircraft, and boats.

Geography

Location:2

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

Geographic coordinates:3

78 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references:4

Arctic Region

Area:5

total:62,045 sq km
land:62,045 sq km
water:0 sq km
note:includes Spitsbergen and Bjornoya (Bear Island)

Area - comparative:6

slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries:7

total:0 km

Coastline:8

3,587 km

Maritime claims:9

territorial sea:12 nm
contiguous zone:24 nm
continental shelf:extends to depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone:200 nm

Climate:10

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:11

rugged mountains; much of the upland areas are ice covered; west coast clear of ice about half the year; fjords along west and north coasts

Elevation:12

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

Natural resources:13

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

Land use:14

agricultural land:0% (2018 est.)
other:100% (2018 est.)

Population distribution:15

the small population is primarily concentrated on the island of Spitsbergen in a handful of settlements on the south side of the Isfjorden, with Longyearbyen being the largest

Natural hazards:16

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

Geography - note:17

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

People and Society

Population:18

total:2,556 (2025 est.)
male:1,353
female:1,203

Ethnic groups:19

Norwegian 61.1%, foreign population 38.9% (consists primarily of Russians, Thais, Swedes, Filipinos, and Ukrainians) (2021 est.)

note:foreigners account for almost one third of the population of the Norwegian settlements, Longyearbyen and Ny-Alesund (where the majority of Svalbard's resident population lives), as of mid-2021

Languages:20

Norwegian, Russian

major-language sample(s)

Verdens Faktabok, den essensielle kilden for grunnleggende informasjon. (Norwegian)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Population growth rate:21

-0.03% (2019 est.)

Net migration rate:22

-5.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Population distribution:23

the small population is primarily concentrated on the island of Spitsbergen in a handful of settlements on the south side of the Isfjorden, with Longyearbyen being the largest

Environment

Climate:24

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

Land use:25

agricultural land:0% (2018 est.)
other:100% (2018 est.)

Government

Country name:26

conventional long form:none
conventional short form:Svalbard (sometimes referred to as Spitsbergen, the largest island in the archipelago)
etymology:the archipelago was traditionally known as Spitsbergen, a Dutch name meaning "jagged peaks," but Norway renamed it Svalbard in the 1920s when it assumed sovereignty of the islands, from the Norwegian sval (cold) and bard (shore); the Norwegian name may have been used during the Norse era for other locations

Government type:27

non-self-governing territory of Norway

Dependency status:28

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

Capital:29

name:Longyearbyen
geographic coordinates:78 13 N, 15 38 E
time difference:UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time:+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
etymology:the name in Norwegian means Longyear Town; the site was established by and named after John Munro LONGYEAR, whose Arctic Coal Company began mining operations there in 1906

Legal system:30

laws of Norway that explicitly apply to Svalbard, including the Svalbard Act, the Svalbard Environmental Protection Act, and certain regulations; the Spitsbergen Treaty and the Svalbard Treaty grant certain rights to citizens and corporations of signatory nations

Citizenship:31

see Norway

Executive branch:32

chief of state:King HARALD V of Norway (since 17 January 1991)
head of government:Governor Lars FAUSE (since 24 June 2021)
election/appointment process:none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor and assistant governor responsible to the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice

Legislative branch:33

note:the Council acts much like a Norwegian municipality, with responsibility for infrastructure and utilities (including power, land-use and community planning, education, and child welfare); however, the state provides healthcare services

Judicial branch:34

highest court(s):Svalbard is subordinate to Norway's Nord-Troms District Court and Halogaland Court of Appeal, both located in Tromso

Political parties:35

Conservative

Labor

Liberal

Progress

Socialist Left

International organization participation:36

none

Independence:37

none (territory of Norway)

Flag:38

the flag of Norway is used

National anthem(s):39

title:"Ja, vi elsker dette landet" (Yes, We Love This Country)
lyrics/music:Bjornstjerne BJORNSON/Rikard NORDRAAK
history:official anthem, as a Norwegian territory

Economy

Economic overview:40

high-income Norwegian island economy; major coal mining, tourism, and research sectors; recently established northernmost brewery; key whaling and fishing base; home to the Global Seed Vault

Exchange rates:41

Currency:Norwegian kroner (NOK) per US dollar -
2024:10.746 (2024 est.)
2023:10.563 (2023 est.)
2022:9.614 (2022 est.)
2021:8.59 (2021 est.)
2020:9.416 (2020 est.)

Communications

Broadcast media:42

Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) provides TV transmission to Svalbard via satellite; access to 3 NRK radio stations and 2 TV stations

Internet country code:43

.sj

Transportation

Ports:44

total ports:3 (2024)
large:0
medium:0
small:0
very small:3
ports with oil terminals:0
key ports:Barentsburg, Longyearbyen, Ny Alesund

Military and Security

Military and security forces:45

no regular military forces

Military - note:46

Svalbard is a territory of Norway, demilitarized by treaty on 9 February 1920; Norwegian military activity is limited to fisheries surveillance by the Norwegian Coast Guard (2025)

Historical observations

Notes & sources

  1. Background. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  2. Location. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  3. Geographic coordinates. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  4. Map references. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  5. Area. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  6. Area - comparative. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  7. Land boundaries. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  8. Coastline. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  9. Maritime claims. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  10. Climate. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  11. Terrain. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  12. Elevation. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  13. Natural resources. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  14. Land use. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  15. Population distribution. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  16. Natural hazards. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  17. Geography - note. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  18. Population. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  19. Ethnic groups. Reference edition; observation: 2021 est.. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  20. Languages. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  21. Population growth rate. Reference edition; observation: 2019. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  22. Net migration rate. Reference edition; observation: 2021. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  23. Population distribution. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  24. Climate. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  25. Land use. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  26. Country name. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  27. Government type. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  28. Dependency status. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  29. Capital. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  30. Legal system. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  31. Citizenship. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  32. Executive branch. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  33. Legislative branch. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  34. Judicial branch. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  35. Political parties. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  36. International organization participation. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  37. Independence. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  38. Flag. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  39. National anthem(s). Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  40. Economic overview. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  41. Exchange rates. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  42. Broadcast media. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  43. Internet country code. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  44. Ports. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  45. Military and security forces. Reference edition; observation: dates as stated in text. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
  46. Military - note. Reference edition; observation: 2025. Field last updated: not supplied; profile fallback: 2025-08-28 05:45:53 -0400 (not a field revision date); needs review. Reference source. Edition last checked 2026-10-29 (retrieval only). ↩
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Countries & territories

Same-year values. Equal values share a rank.

Sources & method

Ranks cover available countries and territories, using the same indicator, source unit and reference year. Unrounded source values determine ties. Coverage is not a sovereign-country or complete global ranking; national definitions may differ. Missing values and other years are excluded. The information icon preserves the original number, unit and evidence.

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