Island Details: Svalbard

Name

Svalbard

Location

Arctic Ocean

Number of Islands (approx.)

400*

Island Details

Spitsbergen is the largest and most populated island of the Svalbard archipelago*

Type of Islands

oceanic*

Surface Area (km²)

61,022.00*

Terrain

60% of Svalbard's land area is covered by glaciers *

Highest Elevation (m)

1,713.0*

Highest Elevation (name)

Newtontoppen*

Isolation Index

51*

Climate Risk Index Rank (1993-2012)

145*

Mean Sea Level Trends (mm/year)

-2.56*

Mean Sea Level (meta)

Time span: 1948-2022; Completeness: 92%; Station ID: 025-001*

Population (total)

2,512*

Population Density (p/km²)

0.0*

Population Growth (annual %)

-0.630*

GDP (per capita in current US$)

Dominant Economic Sector

tourism, mining, research*

HDI

0.970*

Administration

dependent (territory of Norway; Norwegian sovereignty under the Svalbard Treaty)*

Miscellaneous

governed under the Svalbard Treaty, which confirms Norwegian sovereignty while giving citizens and companies from signatory states visa-free access and equal rights to activities such as hunting, fishing, mining and commerce; the treaty requires peaceful use, restricts military infrastructure and links governance to environmental protection, with Norway responsible for conserving Svalbard’s wilderness, flora, fauna, cultural heritage and settlements; home to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault*