From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Svalbard is a group of islands in the Arctic Ocean; ranging from 74° to 81° North, and 10° to 34° East, it is the northernmost part of Norway. The islands cover an area of 62,050 km². The largest islands are Spitsbergen (39,000 km²), Nordaustlandet (14,600 km²) and Edgeøya (5,000 km²).
The population is approximately 2,400 (including a large proportion of Russian and Ukrainian citizens), and Svalbard is administered by an appointed governor, sysselmannen, whose office is in the town of Longyearbyen.
Svalbard may have been discovered as early as the 12th century, but the first indisputable discovery of Svalbard was by the Dutchman Willem Barents in 1596. The islands served as an international whaling base in the 17th and 18thh centuries. They were also the headquarters for many Arctic explorations.
Svalbard is 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.
By terms of the Svalbard Treaty of February 9, 1920, Norwegian sovereignty was recognized and the area was demilitarized. Norway took over administration of Svalbard in 1925. However, under the terms of this rather 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, there is a permanent Russian settlement at Barentsburg which is more or less autonomous. A second Russian settlement at Pyramiden was abandoned in 2000. At one time, the Russian population of Svalbard considerably exceeded the Norwegian population, although this is no longer the case.
Large parts of Svalbard are glaciated. 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. The major economic activity is coal mining, supplemented by fishing and trapping. In the final decades of the 20th century, tourism, research, higher education, and some high-tech businesses like satellite relay-stations have increased by a notable amount. Norway claims an exclusive fishing zone of 200 nautical miles, which is not recognized by Russia.
Svalbard is also the breeding ground of the barnacle goose and a variety of other birds; they are best seen from cruise ships. There are also four mammal species: the Svalbard field mouse Microtus epiroticus, the Arctic fox, the Svalbard reindeer (a distinct sub-species), and polar bears.
Since polar bears are very common on Svalbard, all people need to take sufficient precautions when outside the settlements. This includes carrying a rifle. Nevertheless, polar bears are protected by law. It is forbidden to harm or disturb them.
There are no roads between the settlements on the island; transportation is by boat, plane, helicopter, and snowmobile.
The Svalbard Undersea Cable System which started operation in January 2004 provides dual 1,440 km fiber optic lines from Svalbard to Harstad, needed for communicating with polar orbiting satellite stations on Svalbard, some owned by NASA and NOAA.
In Philip Pullman's book Northern Lights / The Golden Compass, the first of Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy, Svalbard is the location of the incarceration of the fictional character Lord Asriel. In this parallel universe, Svalbard is an island rather than an archipelago. Lord Asriel builds a bridge from Svalbard to Cittàgazze through the Aurora borealis.
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