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Svalbard and Jan Mayen

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Svalbard and Jan Mayen (Norwegian: Svalbard og Jan Mayen) is a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, located between 74° and 81° north latitude and 10° and 35° east longitude. The islands are part of Norway but are not inhabited by permanent residents.

Geography

The archipelago consists of two main groups: Svalbard and Jan Mayen. Svalbard is the larger group, consisting of:

  • Spitsbergen (the largest island)
  • Nordaustlandet
  • Edgeøya
  • Barentsøya
  • Hopen
  • Several smaller islands

Jan Mayen is a smaller island to the northwest of Svalbard.

History

The archipelago has been inhabited by indigenous peoples, including the Pomors and the Inuit. However, it was not settled by permanent residents until the 17th century when the Dutch West India Company established a settlement on Spitsbergen in 1632. The island was later used as a base for whaling and mining.

In 1920, Norway signed the Svalbard Treaty with other countries, which gave Norway sovereignty over the archipelago but allowed other countries to exploit its natural resources. Today, the islands are protected by the Svalbard Environmental Protection Act, which aims to preserve their unique Arctic environment.

Economy

The population of Svalbard and Jan Mayen is around 2,600 people, mostly living in Longyearbyen. The economy is based on:

  • Coal mining
  • Tourism
  • Research

Unique Features

Svalbard and Jan Mayen have a number of unique features, including:

  • A high latitude, with the northernmost point at 82°22′N
  • A cold climate, with average temperatures ranging from -6°C to 10°C (21°F to 50°F)
  • A unique flora and fauna, adapted to the Arctic environment
  • A number of historical sites, including old settlements and mining towns
  • A number of research stations and scientific facilities

Wildlife

The archipelago is also home to a number of wildlife species, including:

  • Polar bears
  • Arctic foxes
  • Reindeer
  • Walruses

International Recognition

Svalbard and Jan Mayen have their own ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code (SJ), which is used for international communication. The islands are also part of the .sj top-level domain.

Sources:

  • “Svalbard”. Norwegian Polar Institute.
  • “Svalbard Treaty”. Wikisource.
  • “Population in the settlements. Svalbard”. Statistics Norway.
  • “Svalbard and Jan Mayen”. The World Factbook.
  • “Lov om Svalbard” (in Norwegian). Lovdata.
  • “Jan Mayen information”.
  • “Country Information”. United Nations Dag Hammarskjöld Library.
  • Takle, Mona Takle; Vassenden, Kåre (March 2008). “Country classifications in migration statistics – present situation and proposals for a Eurostat standard” (PDF).
  • “Territories of Svalbard and Jan Mayen”. Statoids.
  • “Delegation Record for .SJ”. Internet Assigned Numbers Authority.
  • “The .sj top level domains”. Norid.