Svalbard Geography

What is the terrain and geography like in Svalbard?

Geography - note

northernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway; consists of nine main islands; glaciers and snowfields cover 60% of the total area; Spitsbergen Island is the site of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, a seed repository established by the Global Crop Diversity Trust and the Norwegian Government

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

Svalbard Use of Natural Resources

Svalbard Environment

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

Natural Resources:

coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, phosphate, wildlife, fish

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

Environmental Issues:

Svalbard Geography

Geographic Location	Arctic Region
Total Area	23,956 Square Miles 62,045 Square Kilometers
Land Area	23,956 Square Miles 62,045 Square Kilometers
Coastline	2,229 Miles 3,587 Kilometers
Geographic Coordinates	78 00 N, 20 00 E
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
Highest Point	1,717 Meters
Highest Point Location	Newtontoppen 1,717 m
Lowest Point Location	Arctic Ocean 0 m
Natural Resources	coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, phosphate, wildlife, fish
Time Zone	UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time	+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

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