coal export) on the west coast and occasionally make parts of the
northeastern coast inaccessible
international agreements:
NA
Note:
northernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway; consists of nine main
islands; glaciers and snowfields cover 60% of the total area

@Svalbard, People

Population:
3,018 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
-3.5% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
NA
Death rate:
NA
Net migration rate:
NA
Infant mortality rate:
NA
Life expectancy at birth:
NA
Total fertility rate:
NA
Ethnic divisions:
Russian 64%, Norwegian 35%, other 1% (1981)
Languages:
Russian, Norwegian
Literacy:
total population:
NA%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%
Labor force:
NA

@Svalbard, Government

Names:
conventional long form:
none
conventional short form:
Svalbard
Digraph:
SV
Type:
territory of Norway administered by the Ministry of Industry, Oslo,
through a governor (sysselmann) residing in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen;
by treaty (9 February 1920) sovereignty was given to Norway
Capital:
Longyearbyen
Independence:
none (territory of Norway)
National holiday:
NA
Legal system:
NA
Executive branch:
Chief of State:
King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991)
Head of Government:
Governor Odd BLOMDAL (since NA); Assistant Governor Jan-Atle HANSEN
(since NA September 1993)
Member of:
none
Flag:
the flag of Norway is used

@Svalbard, Economy

Overview:
Coal mining is the major economic activity on Svalbard. By treaty (9
February 1920), the nationals of the treaty powers have equal rights
to exploit mineral deposits, subject to Norwegian regulation. Although
US, UK, Dutch, and Swedish coal companies have mined in the past, the
only companies still mining are Norwegian and Russian. The settlements
on Svalbard are essentially company towns. The Norwegian state-owned
coal company employs nearly 60% of the Norwegian population on the
island, runs many of the local services, and provides most of the
local infrastructure. There is also some trapping of seal, polar bear,
fox, and walrus.
Budget:
revenues:
$13.3 million
expenditures:
$13.3 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990 est.)
Electricity:
capacity:
21,000 kW
production:
45 million kWh
consumption per capita:
13,860 kWh (1992)
Currency:
1 Norwegian krone (NKr) = 100 oere
Exchange rates:
Norwegian kroner (NKr) per US$1 - 7.4840 (January 1994