World Factbook
Svalbard (sometimes referred to as Spitsbergen, the largest island in the archipelago)
Last updated: 2026-03-28 (today)
Flag
the flag of Norway is used
Capital
name
Longyearbyen
etymology
the name in Norwegian means Longyear Town; the site was established by and named after John Munro LONGYEAR, whose Arctic Coal Company began mining operations there in 1906
time difference
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
geographic coordinates
78 13 N, 15 38 E
Citizenship
see Norway
Country name
etymology
the archipelago was traditionally known as Spitsbergen, a Dutch name meaning "jagged peaks," but Norway renamed it Svalbard in the 1920s when it assumed sovereignty of the islands, from the Norwegian sval (cold) and bard (shore); the Norwegian name may have been used during the Norse era for other locations
conventional long form
none
conventional short form
Svalbard (sometimes referred to as Spitsbergen, the largest island in the archipelago)
Independence
none (territory of Norway)
Legal system
laws of Norway that explicitly apply to Svalbard, including the Svalbard Act, the Svalbard Environmental Protection Act, and certain regulations; the Spitsbergen Treaty and the Svalbard Treaty grant certain rights to citizens and corporations of signatory nations
Government type
non-self-governing territory of Norway
Judicial branch
highest court(s)
Svalbard is subordinate to Norway's Nord-Troms District Court and Halogaland Court of Appeal, both located in Tromso
Executive branch
chief of state
King HARALD V of Norway (since 17 January 1991)
head of government
Governor Lars FAUSE (since 24 June 2021)
election/appointment process
none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor and assistant governor responsible to the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice
Dependency status
territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice, through a governor ( sysselmann ) residing in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen; by treaty (9 February 1920), sovereignty was awarded to Norway
Political parties
Conservative Labor Liberal Progress Socialist Left
Legislative branch
note
note: the Council acts much like a Norwegian municipality, with responsibility for infrastructure and utilities (including power, land-use and community planning, education, and child welfare); however, the state provides healthcare services
National anthem(s)
title
"Ja, vi elsker dette landet" (Yes, We Love This Country)
history
official anthem, as a Norwegian territory
lyrics/music
Bjornstjerne BJORNSON/Rikard NORDRAAK
International organization participation
none