Is Spitsbergen in the Arctic Ocean?
Spitsbergen, formerly West Spitsbergen (Vestspitsbergen), largest island of the Svalbard archipelago, part of Norway, in the Arctic Ocean. Spitsbergen, with an area of 15,075 square miles (39,044 square km), is approximately 280 miles (450 km) long and ranges from 25 to 140 miles (40 to 225 km) wide.
What country does Spitsbergen belong to?
Norway
Spitsbergen (Urban East Norwegian: [ˈspɪ̀tsˌbærɡn̩]; formerly known as West Spitsbergen; Norwegian: Vest Spitsbergen or Vestspitsbergen [ˈvɛ̂stˌspɪtsbærɡn̩], also sometimes spelled Spitzbergen) is the largest and only permanently populated island of the Svalbard archipelago in northern Norway.
Who lives on Spitsbergen?
Although Svalbard belongs to the Kingdom of Norway, two settlements in the archipelago are mostly populated by Russians and Ukrainians. Around 450 people live in the modern mining community of Barentsburg, while fewer than 10 live in the Soviet ghost town of Pyramiden.
Is Svalbard the same as Spitsbergen?
Outside the world of geopolitics or even polar travel, it’s probably not common knowledge that Svalbard and Spitsbergen are one in the same. Ask a Norwegian (or most nationalities outside the EU) and you’ll learn Svalbard is an archipelago, while Spitsbergen is the largest island within it.
What latitude is Spitsbergen?
77.8750° N, 20.9752° E
Svalbard/Coordinates
How far is Spitsbergen from the North Pole?
Svalbard is a Norwegian group of islands located in the Arctic Ocean north of continental Norway, about 650 miles (1,050 kilometers) from the North Pole. It is the northernmost year-round settlement on Earth, with a population of about 2,200.
How big is Spitsbergen?
23,570 mi²
Svalbard/Area
Which explorer discovered the island of Spitsbergen?
During a third expedition, the crew discovered Spitsbergen and Bear Island, but subsequently became stranded on Novaya Zemlya for almost a year….
| Willem Barentsz | |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Navigator |
| Known for | Exploration of the Arctic |
What is the closest town to the North Pole?
Longyearbyen
The world’s northernmost town is Longyearbyen, which is located in the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard and has 2,400 citizens. Longyearbyen is around 650 miles from the North Pole, making it the nearest town to it. It’s dark for four months a year and light for another four months.
What is the closest country to the North Pole?
The Canadian territory of Nunavut lies closest to the North Pole. Greenland, the world’s largest island and an independent country within the Kingdom of Denmark, is also close to the pole.
What is the capital of Spitsbergen?
Longyearbyen is the capital of Svalbard, and it also serves as the capital region for Jan Mayen. Longyearbyen is the largest Svalbard settlement, and it is utilized as the administrative center.
How big is the island of Spitsbergen in miles?
Spitsbergen. Spitsbergen, formerly West Spitsbergen (Vestspitsbergen), largest island of the Svalbard archipelago, part of Norway, in the Arctic Ocean. Spitsbergen, with an area of 15,075 square miles (39,044 square km), is approximately 280 miles (450 km) long and ranges from 25 to 140 miles (40 to 225 km) wide.
Which is the largest island in the Svalbard archipelago?
Spitsbergen. Spitsbergen (formerly known as West Spitsbergen; Norwegian: Vest Spitsbergen or Vestspitsbergen, also sometimes spelled Spitzbergen) is the largest and only permanently populated island of the Svalbard archipelago in northern Norway. Constituting the westernmost bulk of the archipelago, it borders the Arctic Ocean,…
How big is the largest island in the Arctic Ocean?
Spitsbergen, formerly West Spitsbergen (Vestspitsbergen), largest island of the Svalbard archipelago, part of Norway, in the Arctic Ocean. Spitsbergen, with an area of 15,075 square miles (39,044 square km), is approximately 280 miles (450 km) long and ranges from 25 to 140 miles (40 to 225 km) wide.
When did the Spitsbergen archipelago become known as Greenland?
The archipelago may have been known to Russian Pomor hunters as early as the 14th or 15th century, although solid evidence preceding the 17th century is lacking. Following the English whalers and others in referring to the archipelago as Greenland, they named it Grumant (Грумант).
