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Introduction: SVALBARD
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.
GEOGRAPHY
Country name: conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Svalbard (sometimes referred to as Spitzbergen)
Capital: Longyearbyen
Location: Northern Europe, islands between the Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea, Greenland Sea, and Norwegian Sea, north of Norway
Geographic Coordinates: 78 00 N, 20 00 E
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
Land Boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 3,587 km
Maritime Claims: territorial sea: 4 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm unilaterally claimed by Norway but not recognized by Russia
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 one-half of the year; fjords along west and north coasts
Elavation Extremes: lowest point: Arctic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Newtontoppen 1,717 m
Natural Resources: coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, phosphate, wildlife, fish
GOVERNEMENT
Governement Type: NA
Administratives Divisions:  
Independence 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
National Holiday: NA
Constitution:  
Legal System; NA
Suffrage  
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
Legislative Branch:  
Judicial Branch:  
Political parties and Leaders:  
PEOPLE
Population: 2,701 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA
Median age:  
Nationality:  
Ethnic groups: Norwegian 55.4%, Russian and Ukrainian 44.3%, other 0.3% (1998)
Religions:  
Languages: Norwegian, Russian
COMUNICATIONS
Telephones - main lines in use: NA
Telephones - mobile cellular: NA
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)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1 (plus 2 repeaters), shortwave 0 (1998)
Television broadcast stations: NA
Internet country code: .sj
Internet hosts:  
Internet users: NA
TRANSPORT
Railways:  
Highways: total: NA km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km
Waterways:  
Pipelines:  
Ports and harbors: Barentsburg, Longyearbyen, Ny-Alesund, Pyramiden
Merchant marine:  
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.)
Heliports:  
 
 
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