Overview of the Svalbard Archipelago

Overview of Svalbard

This Norwegian territory in the High North offers extraordinary landscapes of glaciers, mountains, and rugged coastlines. Every year, a few hundred visitors come here to hike, including by kayak, and observe the wildlife and the many polar bears that live here. Across the archipelago, Spitsbergen, the main island (whose name is sometimes used to refer to the entire archipelago), is home to almost all of the 3,000 inhabitants.

Key Facts

• Type of place: tourist region.

• Location: at the edge of the Arctic Ocean and the Atlantic, near Greenland.

• Latitude/longitude: 78.00' N, 16.00' E.

• Main town: Longyearbyen (on Spitsbergen).

• Population: 2,667 inhabitants (2016).

• Area: 61,022 km².

• Density: 0.04 inhabitants/km².

• Highest point: Newtontoppen (1,713 m).

• Lowest point: sea level.

• Local time: Heure : 4614.

• Tourist interest: ★★★★ (must-see or highly recommended).

• Website: https://en.visitsvalbard.com/

History of the Svalbard Archipelago

Climate and Weather