Svalbard, previously known as Spitsbergen or Spitzbergen, is a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean. North of mainland Europe, it lies about midway between the northern coast of Norway and the North Pole. The islands of the group range from 74° to 81° north latitude, and from 10° to 35° east longitude. The largest island is Spitsbergen, followed in size …
Svalbard, previously known as Spitsbergen or Spitzbergen, is a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean. North of mainland Europe, it lies about midway between the northern coast of Norway and the North Pole. The islands of the group range from 74° to 81° north latitude, and from 10° to 35° east longitude. The largest island is Spitsbergen, followed in size by Nordaustlandet and Edgeøya. The largest settlement is Longyearbyen on the west coast of Spitsbergen.
Highest elevation: 1,718 m (5,636 ft)
Sovereign state: Norway
Svalbard Treaty: 9 February 1920
Svalbard Act: 17 July 1925
Official languages: Norwegian
Ethnic groups (2021): 61.1% Norwegian · 38.9% other
Government: Devolved locally-administered unincorporated area within a constitutional monarchy
Save
Share
More