Svalbard Treaty
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Long name
Treaty recognising the sovereignty of Norway over the Archipelago of Spitsbergen, including Bear Island
Traité reconnaissant la souveraineté de la Norvège sur l'archipel du Spitsberg, y compris l'ile aux Ours |
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Ratifications of the treaty
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| Signed | 9 February 1920 |
| Location | Paris, France |
| Effective | 14 August 1925 |
| Condition | Ratification by all the signatory powers |
| Parties | 45 |
| Depositary | Government of the French Republic |
| Languages | French and English |
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The Svalbard Treaty or the Spitsbergen Treaty, recognises the sovereignty of Norway over the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, at the time called Spitsbergen. The exercise of sovereignty is, however, subject to certain stipulations, and not all Norwegian law applies. The treaty regulates the demilitarisation of the archipelago. The signatories were given equal rights to engage in commercial activities (mainly coal mining) on the islands. As of 2012[update], Norway and Russia are making use of this right.
Uniquely, the archipelago is an entirely visa-free zone under the terms of the Svalbard Treaty.
The treaty was signed on 9 February 1920 and submitted for registration in the League of Nations Treaty Series on 21 October 1920. There were 14 original High Contracting Parties, including: the United States, Denmark, France, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (including British overseas dominions of Canada, Australia, India, South Africa and New Zealand). Several additional nations signed within the next five years before the treaty came into force, including the Soviet Union in 1924 and Germany and China in 1925.
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