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Is Svalbard a Country?

If you’ve ever heard of it (most haven’t!) you may have wondered is Svalbard a country? I’m obsessed with this stuff. It drove me to visit every country in the world, and I’m still going! Is Svalbard a country? And if not, what exactly is it and who does it belong to?

I blogged about visiting Svalbard here, one of the coolest places on earth.

TLDR? Is Svalbard a country? No, it’s part of Norway

The simple answer: no, Svalbard is not a country. It’s a part of Norway.

It’s been recognized as Norwegian since Svalbard Treaty of 1920.

Where is Svalbard?

It’s the most northern inhabited place on earth. And the closest inhabited place to the North Pole! But despite being halfway between Norway and the North Pole, Svalbard is a sovereign part of Norway, not just a dependency. However, its status is quite unique!

When and Why Did I Visit Svalbard?

I visited in 2018. I was due to run the North Pole Marathon (did it, it was cold, finished 8th). I flew to Oslo, Norway. Then from there, I flew domestically to Svalbard (because it belongs to Norway). I based myself there while we waited for good weather to fly us to the North Pole for the marathon.

While in Svalbard I did some amazing tourist stuff – ice caving, abandoned russian mining towns, snow mobiles, wild polar bears, arctic plunges. EPIC PLACE TO VISIT!

What is the status of Svalbard?

Svalbard is a free economic and demilitarized zone, reflecting its strategic Arctic location. Historically used by various countries, including the Netherlands, Denmark, and Russia, its status has always been complex. Even the British had their interests, but World War One and American coal mining interests influenced its fate.

To ensure equal access for all, Svalbard was recognized as Norwegian, with signatories granted non-discriminatory rights to hunting, fishing, mineral resources, and Arctic exploration.

The Politics of Svalbard

Mid-way through the 20th century, the Germans wanted to claim Svalbard. Interestingly, their garrison there was the last to surrender in the war, not out of loyalty but because they hadn’t heard the war had ended. Once they did, they surrendered to a seal-hunting vessel’s captain.

Next, the Soviet Union wanted Svalbard, or at least join-ownership with Norway. Norway refused.

Russians living in Svalbard?

However, the Soviet presence remained strong, often outnumbering the Norwegian population. Svalbard retained its free zone status.

When I visited, you can take a snowmobile for hours to the abandoned Russian mining towns of Pyramiden and Barentsburg. Back in the day, the Russians had fully fledged towns with 10s of thousands of people. Since the mines died, they pulled 99.9% of the people home. BUT as an agreement with Norway IF THEY RETAIN PEOPLE LIVING IN THIS TOWNS, they can ‘keep’ the towns. So the 2 towns have a skeleton staff of 4 or 5 Russians living in broken down 1940s Russian towns. Weird, and a cool place to see for yourself with all the Soviet Era stuff still frozen in town.

Do I need a Norwegian visa to visit Svalbard?

Today, Svalbard is visa-free: anyone can live and work there indefinitely. Some even use it as a pathway to Norwegian citizenship. However, entry requires passing through Norway, thus needing a Schengen visa.

So, Is Svalbard a country?

So, is Svalbard a country? Definitely not, but it’s a unique part of Norway with a fascinating history. If you arrive in Svalbard on a seal-hunting ship, it doesn’t count as having visited Norway. You’ll understand why when enjoying a (relatively) cheap beer in tax-free Longyearbyen!