q km); in 2001, the two states agreed to discuss an "area
of integration" and withdraw military forces in the overlapping areas;
since colonial times, Kenya's administrative boundary has extended beyond
its treaty boundary into Sudan creating the "Ilemi Triangle"

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

========================================================================

Svalbard

Introduction

Svalbard

Background: First discovered by the Norwegians in the 12th century,
the islands served as an international whaling base during the 17th and
18th centuries. Norway's sovereignty was recognized in 1920; five years
later it officially took over the territory.

Geography Svalbard

Location: Northern Europe, islands between the Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea,
Greenland Sea, and Norwegian Sea, north of Norway

Geographic coordinates: 78 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references: Arctic Region

Area: total: 62,049 sq km note: includes Spitsbergen and Bjornoya
(Bear Island) water: 0 sq km land: 62,049 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 3,587 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM unilaterally claimed
by Norway but not recognized by Russia territorial sea: 4 NM

Climate: arctic, tempered by warm North Atlantic Current; cool summers,
cold winters; North Atlantic Current flows along west and north coasts
of Spitsbergen, keeping water open and navigable most of the year

Terrain: wild, rugged mountains; much of high land ice covered; west
coast clear of ice about one-half of the year; fjords along west and
north coasts

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Arctic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Newtontoppen 1,717 m

Natural resources: coal, copper, iron ore, phosphate, zinc, wildlife,
fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (no trees,
and the only bushes are crowberry and cloudberry) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: ice floes often block the entrance to Bellsund (a
transit point for coal export) on the west coast and occasionally make
parts of the northeastern coast inaccessible to maritime traffic

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: northernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway; consists
of nine main islands; glaciers and snowfields cover 60% of the total area

People Svalbard

Population: 2,868 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA% 15-64