Svalbard, Norwegian pronunciation "sva:lba", prior to 1925 known by its Dutch name Spitsbergen, is a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean. It is situated north of mainland Europe and is about midway between continental Norway and the North Pole. The islands of the group range from 74 degrees to 81 degrees north latitude and from 10 degrees to 35 degrees east longitude. The largest island is Spitsbergen, followed by Nordaustlandet. Administratively, the archipelago is not part of any Norwegian County but forms an unincorporated area administered by a governor appointed by the Norwegian government. Since 2002, Svalbard's main settlement, Longyearbyen, has had an elected local government, somewhat similar to mainland municipalities. Other settlements on the archipelago include the Russian mining community of Barentsburg, the research station of Ny-Ã…lesund, and the mining outpost of Sveagruva. Ny-Ã…lesund is the northernmost settlement in the world with a permanent civilian population. Other settlements are farther north but are populated only by rotating groups of researchers. The islands were first used as a whaling base in the 17th and 18th centuries, after which they were abandoned. Coal mining began at the beginning of the 20th century, and several permanent communities were established. The Svalbard Treaty of 1920 recognizes Norwegian sovereignty, and the 1925 Svalbard Act made Svalbard a full part of the kingdom of Norway. They also established Svalbard as a free economic zone and a demilitarized zone. The Norwegian Store Norske and the Russian Arktikugol remain the only mining companies in place. Research and tourism have become important supplementary industries, with the University Center in Svalbard (UNIS) and the Svalbard Global Seed Vault playing critical roles. No roads connect the settlements; instead, snowmobiles, aircraft, and boats serve as community transport. Svalbard Airport, Longyear serves as the main gateway. The archipelago features an Arctic climate, although...
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