Spitzbergen
|
Svalbard |
|
|---|---|
|
|
|
|
_(Europe_centered).svg) |
|
| Status | Unincorporated area |
| Administrative centre and largest settlement |
Longyearbyen |
| Official languages | Norwegian Bokmål |
| Ethnic groups | |
| Sovereign state |
 Kingdom of Norway
|
| Leaders | |
|
• Governor
|
Kjerstin Askholt (2015–) |
| Area | |
|
• Total
|
61,022 km2 (23,561 sq mi) |
| Population | |
|
• 2012 estimate
|
2,642 |
| Currency | Norwegian krone (NOK) |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) |
|
• Summer (DST)
|
CEST (UTC+2) |
| Calling code | +47 |
| Internet TLD | .no a |
|
|
– in Europe (green & dark grey)
– in Norway (green)
Svalbard (Norwegian pronunciation: [ˈsʋɑ(ː)lbɑː]; formerly known by its Dutch name Spitsbergen) is a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean. Situated north of mainland Europe, it is about midway between continental 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 by Nordaustlandet and Edgeøya.
Administratively, the archipelago is not part of any Norwegian county, but forms an unincorporated area administered by a governor appointed by the Norwegian government. Since 2002, Svalbard's main settlement, Longyearbyen, has had an elected local government, somewhat similar to mainland municipalities. Other settlements include the Russian mining community of Barentsburg, the research station of Ny-Ålesund, and the mining outpost of Sveagruva. Svalbard is the northernmost settlement in the world with a permanent civilian population. Other settlements are farther north, but are populated only by rotating groups of researchers.
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Wikipedia