Svalbard
Svalbard (also known as "Spitsbergen") is an island in the Arctic Ocean; at 78° North, it is the northermost part of Norway. The population is approximately 2,400, and Svalbard is administered by an appointed governor, whose office is in the town of Longyearbyen. The Norwegian territory of Svalbard includes the main island and several smaller islands.
Svalbard may have been discovered as early as the 12th century, but the first indisputable discovery of Svalbard was by the Dutchman Willem Barentsz in 1596. The islands served as an international whaling base in the 17th and 18th centuries. Norwegian sovereignty was recognized in 1920, in which year the area was demilitarized by treaty. Norway took over administration of Svalbard in 1925.
Large parts of Svalbard are glaciated. The major economic activity is coal mining, supplemented by fishing and trapping. 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 no roads between the settlements on the island; transportation is by boat, plane, and helicopter.
See also: