Country exposure · GEC-SV
Svalbard (sometimes referred to as Spitsbergen, the largest island in the archipelago)
Europe · Longyearbyen · non-self-governing territory of Norway
What Svalbard (sometimes referred to as Spitsbergen, the largest island in the archipelago) means for your money — the prices you pay, the tariffs in motion, and where U.S. policy could change both.
3K
Population
U.S. exposure
Minimal direct economic exposure
Svalbard (sometimes referred to as Spitsbergen, the largest island in the archipelago) is not a significant U.S. goods-trade partner and has no tracked tariff actions. Policy changes here are unlikely to reach American prices directly.
Reference
The country itself
Europe · Geography, people, economy, and government — public-domain data from the CIA World Factbook.
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
- Northern Europe, islands between the Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea, Greenland Sea, and Norwegian Sea, north of Norway
- Area
- 62,045 sq km
- 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
- 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
- Natural resources
- coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, phosphate, wildlife, fish
- Coastline
- 3,587 km
- Natural hazards
- 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
People & society
- Population
- 2,556 (2025 est.)
- Ethnic groups
- Norwegian 61.1%, foreign population 38.9% (consists primarily of Russians, Thais, Swedes, Filipinos, and Ukrainians) (2021 est.)
- Languages
- Norwegian, Russian
Economy
- Economic overview
- 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
Government
- Government type
- non-self-governing territory of Norway
- Capital
- Longyearbyen
- Independence
- none (territory of Norway)
- Executive branch
- King HARALD V of Norway (since 17 January 1991)
- Legislative branch
- 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
Full reference data
Every field, by section — CIA World Factbook. Open a topic to expand it.
Introduction
Background
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
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
Map references
Arctic Region
Area - total
62,045 sq km
Area - land
62,045 sq km
Area - water
0 sq km
Area - note
note: includes Spitsbergen and Bjornoya (Bear Island)
Area - comparative
slightly smaller than West Virginia
Land boundaries - total
0 km
Coastline
3,587 km
Maritime claims - territorial sea
12 nm
Maritime claims - contiguous zone
24 nm
Maritime claims - continental shelf
extends to depth of exploitation
Maritime claims - exclusive fishing zone
200 nm
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
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 - highest point
Newtontoppen 1,717 m
Elevation - lowest point
Arctic Ocean 0 m
Natural resources
coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, phosphate, wildlife, fish
Land use - agricultural land
0% (2018 est.)
Land use - other
100% (2018 est.)
Population distribution
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
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
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 - total
2,556 (2025 est.)
Population - male
1,353
Population - female
1,203
Ethnic groups
Norwegian 61.1%, foreign population 38.9% (consists primarily of Russians, Thais, Swedes, Filipinos, and Ukrainians) (2021 est.)
Ethnic groups - note
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 - Languages
Norwegian, Russian
Languages - 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
-0.03% (2019 est.)
Net migration rate
-5.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Population distribution
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
Government
Country name - conventional long form
none
Country name - conventional short form
Svalbard (sometimes referred to as Spitsbergen, the largest island in the archipelago)
Country name - 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
non-self-governing territory of Norway
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
Capital - name
Longyearbyen
Capital - geographic coordinates
78 13 N, 15 38 E
Capital - time difference
UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Capital - daylight saving time
+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Capital - 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
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
see Norway
Executive branch - chief of state
King HARALD V of Norway (since 17 January 1991)
Executive branch - head of government
Governor Lars FAUSE (since 24 June 2021)
Executive branch - election/appointment process
none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor and assistant governor responsible to the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice
Legislative branch - note
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 - highest court(s)
Svalbard is subordinate to Norway's Nord-Troms District Court and Halogaland Court of Appeal, both located in Tromso
Political parties
Conservative Labor Liberal Progress Socialist Left
International organization participation
none
Independence
none (territory of Norway)
Flag
the flag of Norway is used
National anthem(s) - title
"Ja, vi elsker dette landet" (Yes, We Love This Country)
National anthem(s) - lyrics/music
Bjornstjerne BJORNSON/Rikard NORDRAAK
National anthem(s) - history
official anthem, as a Norwegian territory
Economy
Economic overview
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 - Currency
Norwegian kroner (NOK) per US dollar -
Exchange rates - Exchange rates 2024
10.746 (2024 est.)
Exchange rates - Exchange rates 2023
10.563 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates - Exchange rates 2022
9.614 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates - Exchange rates 2021
8.59 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates - Exchange rates 2020
9.416 (2020 est.)
Communications
Broadcast media
Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) provides TV transmission to Svalbard via satellite; access to 3 NRK radio stations and 2 TV stations
Internet country code
.sj
Transportation
Ports - total ports
3 (2024)
Ports - large
0
Ports - medium
0
Ports - small
0
Ports - very small
3
Ports - ports with oil terminals
0
Ports - key ports
Barentsburg, Longyearbyen, Ny Alesund
Military and Security
Military and security forces
no regular military forces
Military - note
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)
Environment
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
Land use - agricultural land
0% (2018 est.)
Land use - other
100% (2018 est.)