Svalbard - English Version

The Svalbard are a group of islands dependent on Norway, located completely beyond the Arctic Circle (between 74 ° and 81 ° parallel north), about 700 km north of the motherland. Their name means 'cold coast', the climate is very rigid, but it is mitigated by the Gulf Stream, about 2/3 of the territory is covered by perennial ice; 65% of the surface is protected area. The economy is based on mining and tourism.