Introduction
Svalbard [key], archipelago (23,958 sq mi/62,051 sq km), island group (2015 est. pop. 2,700), possession of Norway, located in the Arctic Ocean, c.400 mi (640 km) N of the Norwegian mainland and between lat. 74°N and 81°N. The main islands of the group are Spitsbergen (formerly Vestspitsbergen), Nordaustlandet, Edgeøya, Barentsøya, and Prins Karls Forland; surrounding islands include Hopen, Kong Karls Land, Kvitøya, and Bjørnøya (Bear Island).
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