Svalbard

Svalbard, formally Spitsbergen, is a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocea, situated northwest of mainland Norway. The islands are about midway between the northern coast of Norway and the North Pole, from 74° to 81° north latitude, and from 10° to 35° east longitude.

The largest island is Spitsbergen, followed by Nordaustlandet and Edgeøya. The largest settlement is Longyearbyen, which stretches along the foot of the left bank of Longyear Valley and on the shore of Adventfjorden.

The islands were first used as a base by whalers who sailed far north in the 17th and 18th centuries, after which they were abandoned. Coal mining started at the beginning of the 20th century, and several permanent communities were established.

The Svalbard Treaty of 1920 recognizes Norwegian sovereignty.