chief of state: President Lt. General Umar Hasan Ahmad al-BASHIR
(since 16 October 1993); First Vice President Ali Uthman Muhammad TAHA
(since 17 February 1998), Second Vice President (Police) Maj. General
George KONGOR AROP (since NA February 1994); note-the president is
both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Lt. General Umar Hasan Ahmad al-BASHIR
(since 16 October 1993); First Vice President Ali Uthman Muhammad TAHA
(since 17 February 1998), Second Vice President (Police) Maj. General
George KONGOR AROP (since NA February 1994); note-the president is
both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; note-President
al-BASHIR's government is dominated by members of Sudan's National
Islamic Front, a fundamentalist political organization formed from the
Muslim Brotherhood in 1986; front leader Hasan al-TURABI dominates
much of Khartoum's overall domestic and foreign policies; President
al-BASHIR named a new cabinet on 20 April 1996 which includes members
of the National Islamic Front, serving and retired military officers,
and civilian technocrats; on 8 March 1998, he reshuffled the cabinet
and brought in several former rebel and opposition members as
ministers
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 6-17 March 1996 (next to be held NA 2001)
election results: Umar Hasan Ahmad al-BASHIR elected president;
percent of vote-Umar Hasan Ahmad al-BASHIR 75.7%; note-about forty
other candidates ran for president
note: al-BASHIR, as chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council for
National Salvation (RCC), assumed power on 30 June 1989 and served
concurrently as chief of state, chairman of the RCC, prime minister,
and minister of defense until 16 October 1993 when he was appointed
president by the RCC; upon its dissolution on 16 October 1993, the
RCC's executive and legislative powers were devolved to the president
and the Transitional National Assembly (TNA), Sudan's appointed
legislative body, which has since been replaced by the National
Assembly which was elected in March 1996
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (400 seats; 275
elected by popular vote, 125 elected by a supraassembly of interest
groups known as the National Congress)
elections: last held 6-17 March 1996 (next to be held NA 2001)
election results: NA; the March 1996 elections were held on a nonparty
basis; parties are banned in the new National Assembly
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Special Revolutionary Courts
Political parties and leaders: none; banned following 30 June 1989
coup
Political pressure groups and leaders: National Islamic Front, Hasan
al-TURABI
International organization participation: ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL,
AMF, CAEU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador MAHDI IBRAHIM Mohamed
chancery: 2210 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 338-8565
FAX: [1] (202) 667-2406
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: US officials at the US Embassy
in Khartoum were moved for security reasons in February 1996 and have
been relocated to the US Embassies in Nairobi, Kenya and Cairo, Egypt;
they visit Khartoum monthly; the US Embassy in Khartoum (located on
Sharia Abdul Latif Avenue; mailing address-P.O. Box 699, Khartoum; APO
AE 09829; telephone-[249] (11) 774611 or 774700; FAX-[249] (11)
774137) is kept open by local employees; the US Embassy in Nairobi,
Kenya is located at the corner of Moi Avenue and Haile Selassie
Avenue, Nairobi; mailing address - P.O. Box 30137, Unit 64100,
Nairobi; telephone-[254] (2) 334141; FAX - [254] (2) 340838; the US
Embassy in Cairo, Egypt is located at (North Gate) 8, Kamel El-Din
Salah Street, Garden City, Cairo; mailing address-Unit 64900, APO AE
09839-4900; telephone-[20] (2) 3557371; FAX-[20] (2) 3573200
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white,
and black with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist side
@Sudan:Economy
Economy-overview: Sudan is buffeted by civil war, chronic political
instability, adverse weather, high inflation, a drop in remittances
from abroad, and counterproductive economic policies. The private
sector's main areas of activity are agriculture and trading, with most
private industrial investment predating 1980. Agriculture employs 80%
of the work force. Industry mainly processes agricultural items.
Sluggish economic performance over the past decade, attributable
largely to declining annual rainfall, has kept per capita income at
low levels. A large foreign debt and huge arrearages continue to cause
difficulties. In 1990 the International Monetary Fund took the unusual
step of declaring Sudan noncooperative because of its nonpayment of
arrearages to the Fund. After Sudan backtracked on promised reforms in
1992-93, the IMF threatened to expel Sudan from the Fund. To avoid
expulsion, Khartoum agreed to make payments on its arrears to the
Fund, liberalize exchange rates, and reduce subsidies, measures it has
partially implemented. The government's continued prosecution of the
civil war and its growing international isolation continued to inhibit
growth in the nonagricultural sectors of the economy during 1997.
Hyperinflation has raised consumer prices above the reach of most. In
1997, a top priority was to develop potentially lucrative oilfields in
south-central Sudan; the government was seeking foreign partners to
exploit the oil sector.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$26.6 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 5% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$875 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 33%
industry: 17%
services: 50% (1992 est.)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 27% (mid-1997 est.)
Labor force:
total: 11 million (1996 est.)
by occupation: agriculture 80%, industry and commerce 10%, government
6%
note: labor shortages for almost all categories of skilled employment
(1983 est.)
Unemployment rate: 30% (FY92/93 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $482 million
expenditures: $1.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $30
million (1996)
Industries: cotton ginning, textiles, cement, edible oils, sugar, soap
distilling, shoes, petroleum refining
Industrial production growth rate: 5% (1996 est.)
Electricity-capacity: 500,000 kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 1.305 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 43 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: cotton, groundnuts, sorghum, millet, wheat, gum
arabic, sesame; sheep
Exports:
total value: $620 million (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities: cotton 23%, sesame 22%, livestock/meat 13%, gum arabic 5%
(1996)
partners: Saudi Arabia 20%, UK 14%, China 11%, Italy 8% (1996)
Imports:
total value: $1.5 billion (1996)
commodities: foodstuffs, petroleum products, manufactured goods,
machinery and equipment, medicines and chemicals, textiles (1996)
partners: Saudi Arabia 10%, South Korea 7%, Germany 6%, Egypt 6%
(1996)
Debt-external: $20.3 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $387 million (1993)
Currency: 1 Sudanese pound (£Sd) = 100 piastres
Exchange rates: Sudanese pounds (£Sd) per US$1-official rate: 1,602.70
(July 1997), 1,250.79 (1996), 580.87 (1995), 289.61 (1994), 159.31
(1993); market rate: 1,612.90 (July 1997), 1,250.79 (1996), 571.02
(August 1995), 289.61 (1994), 159.31 (1993), 97.43 (1992)
note: the market rate is a unified exchange rate determined by a
committee of local bankers, without official intervention, and is
quoted uniformly by all commercial banks
Fiscal year: calendar year
note: prior to July 1995, Sudan had a fiscal year that began on 1 July
and ended on 30 June; as a transition to their new fiscal year, a
six-month budget was implemented for 1 July-31 December 1995; the new
calendar year (1 January-31 December) fiscal year became effective 1
January 1996
Communications
Telephones: 77,215 (1983 est.)
Telephone system: large, well-equipped system by African standards,
but barely adequate and poorly maintained by modern standards
domestic: consists of microwave radio relay, cable, radiotelephone
communications, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system
with 14 earth stations
international: satellite earth stations-1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
and 1 Arabsat
Radio broadcast stations: AM 11, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 6.67 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 3
Televisions: 2.06 million (1992 est.)
@Sudan:Transportation
Railways:
total: 5,516 km
narrow gauge: 4,800 km 1.067-m gauge; 716 km 1.6096-m gauge plantation
line
Highways:
total: 11,900 km
paved: 4,320 km
unpaved: 7,580 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 5,310 km navigable
Pipelines: refined products 815 km
Ports and harbors: Juba, Khartoum, Kusti, Malakal, Nimule, Port Sudan,
Sawakin
Merchant marine:
total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 38,093 GRT/49,727 DWT
ships by type: cargo 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2 (1997 est.)
Airports: 65 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 12
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 53
1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 29
under 914 m: 11 (1997 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1997 est.)
@Sudan:Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Popular Defense Force
Militia
Military manpower-military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 7,690,798 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service:
males: 4,733,457 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually:
males: 363,752 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: NA%
@Sudan:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: administrative boundary with Kenya does not
coincide with international boundary; administrative boundary with
Egypt does not coincide with international boundary creating the
"Hala'ib Triangle," a barren area of 20,580 sq km
______________________________________________________________________
SURINAME
@Suriname:Geography
Location: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
between French Guiana and Guyana
Geographic coordinates: 4 00 N, 56 00 W
Map references: South America
Area:
total: 163,270 sq km
land: 161,470 sq km
water: 1,800 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly larger than Georgia
Land boundaries:
total: 1,707 km
border countries: Brazil 597 km, French Guiana 510 km, Guyana 600 km
Coastline: 386 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds
Terrain: mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: unnamed location in the coastal plain -2 m
highest point: Wilhelmina Gebergte 1,286 m
Natural resources: timber, hydropower potential, fish, kaolin, shrimp,
bauxite, gold, and small amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, iron ore
Land use:
arable land: NA
permanent crops: NA
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 96%
other: 4% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 600 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment-current issues: deforestation as timber is cut for export;
pollution of inland waterways by small-scale mining activities
Environment-international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Marine
Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography-note: mostly tropical rain forest; great diversity of flora
and fauna which for the most part is increasingly threatened by new
development; relatively small population most of which lives along the
coast
@Suriname:People
Population: 427,980 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 33% (male 72,945; female 69,468)
15-64 years: 62% (male 133,840; female 129,452)
65 years and over: 5% (male 10,309; female 11,966) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.77% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 22.48 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 5.79 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -8.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 27.44 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.61 years
male: 68.05 years
female: 73.29 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.59 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Surinamer(s)
adjective: Surinamese
Ethnic groups: Hindustani (also known locally as "East Indians"; their
ancestors emigrated from northern India in the latter part of the 19th
century) 37%, Creole (mixed white and black) 31%, Javanese 15.3%,
"Maroons" (their African ancestors were brought to the country in the
17th and 18th centuries as slaves and escaped to the interior) 10.3%,
Amerindian 2.6%, Chinese 1.7%, white 1%, other 1.1%
Religions: Hindu 27.4%, Muslim 19.6%, Roman Catholic 22.8%, Protestant
25.2% (predominantly Moravian), indigenous beliefs 5%
Languages: Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo
(Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki, is native language of Creoles
and much of the younger population and is lingua franca among others),
Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93%
male: 95%
female: 91% (1995 est.)
@Suriname:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Suriname
conventional short form: Suriname
local long form: Republiek Suriname
local short form: Suriname
former: Netherlands Guiana, Dutch Guiana
Data code: NS
Government type: republic
National capital: Paramaribo
Administrative divisions: 10 districts (distrikten,
singular-distrikt); Brokopondo, Commewijne, Coronie, Marowijne,
Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo, Saramacca, Sipaliwini, Wanica
Independence: 25 November 1975 (from Netherlands)
National holiday: Independence Day, 25 November (1975)
Constitution: ratified 30 September 1987
Legal system: based on Dutch legal system incorporating French penal
theory
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jules WIJDENBOSCH (since 14 September 1996);
Vice President Pretaapnarian RADHAKISHUN (since 14 September 1996);
note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Jules WIJDENBOSCH (since 14 September
1996); Vice President Pretaapnarian RADHAKISHUN (since 14 September
1996); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president from among
the members of the National Assembly
note: First Advisor of State maintains significant power
elections: president and vice president elected by the National
Assembly or, if no presidential or vice presidential candidate
receives a constitutional majority vote in the National Assembly after
two votes, by the larger Peoples Assembly (the National Assembly
members and 289 local and regional councillors), for five-year terms;
election last held 23 May 1996; runoff election held 5 September 1996
(next to be held NA May 2001)
election results: Jules WIJDENBOSCH elected president; percent of
legislative vote NA; National Assembly failed to elect president;
results reflect the People's Assembly votes-Jules WIJDENBOSCH (NDP)
438, Ronald VENETIAAN (NF) 407
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or National Assemblee
(51 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year
terms)
elections: last held 23 May 1996 (next to be held NA May 2001)
election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-NDP 16,
NF 14, BVD 5, KTPI 5, Pendawa Lima 4, Alliance 3, DA '91 2, OPDA 2
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, justices nominated for life
Political parties and leaders: The New Front (NF), a coalition of
three parties (NPS, VHP, SPA), leader Ronald R. VENETIAAN; Progressive
Reform Party (VHP), Jaggernath LACHMON; National Party of Suriname
(NPS), Ronald VENETIAAN; Party of National Unity and Solidarity
(KTPI), Willy SOEMITA; Suriname Labor Party (SPA), Fred DERBY;
Democratic Alternative '91 (DA '91), a coalition of parties (AF, and
BEP) formed in January 1991, Winston JESSURUN; Alternative Forum (AF),
Rick VAN RAVENSWAY; Party for Brotherhood and Unity in Politics (BEP),
Caprino ALLENDY; Pendawa Lima, Paul SOMOHARDJO; National Democratic
Party (NDP), Desire BOUTERSE; Progressive Workers' and Farm Laborers'
Union (PALU), Ir Iwan KROLIS; The Progressive Development Alliance, a
combination of two parties (HPP, PVF), Harry KISOENSINGH; Democratic
Party (DP), Frank PLAYFAIR; Reformed Progressive Party (HPP), Harry
KISOENSINGH; Party of the Federation of Land Workers PVF), Jwan SITAL;
Party for Renewal and Democracy (BVD), Atta MUNGRA; Independent
Progressive Democratic Alternative (OPDA), Joginder RAMKHILAWAN
Political pressure groups and leaders: Union for Liberation and
Democracy, Kofi AFONGPONG; Mandela Bushnegro Liberation Movement,
Leendert ADAMS; Tucayana Amazonica, Alex JUBITANA, Thomas SABAJO;
General Liberation and Development Party (ABOP), Ronnie BRUNSWIJK
International organization participation: ACP, Caricom, ECLAC, FAO,
G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OIC,
OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Arnold Theodoor HALFHIDE
chancery: Suite 460, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 244-7488
FAX: [1] (202) 244-5878
consulate(s) general: Miami
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Dennis K. HAYS
embassy: Dr. Sophie Redmondstraat 129, Paramaribo
mailing address: P. O. Box 1821, Paramaribo; pouch address: American
Embassy Paramaribo, Department of State, Washington, DC, 20521-3390
telephone: [597] 472900, 477881, 476459
FAX: [597] 420800
Flag description: five horizontal bands of green (top, double width),
white, red (quadruple width), white, and green (double width); there
is a large yellow five-pointed star centered in the red band
@Suriname:Economy
Economy-overview: The economy is dominated by the bauxite industry,
which accounts for more than 15% of GDP and 70% of export earnings.
Following a dismal year in 1994-which saw the value of the Surinamese
guilder plummet by about 70%, inflation rise to more than 600%, and
national output fall for the fifth consecutive year-nearly all
economic indicators improved in 1995-97. The VENETIAAN government
unified the exchange rate as part of its structural adjustment program
(SAP). After assuming power in the fall of 1996, the WIJDENBOSCH
government ended the SAP claiming it was unfair to the poorer elements
of society. Tax revenues fell as old taxes lapsed and the government
failed to implement new tax alternatives. By the end of 1997, the
allocation of new Dutch development funds was frozen as Surinamese
government relations with Holland deteriorated. Suriname's economic
prospects for the medium term will depend on renewed commitment to
financially responsible monetary and fiscal policies.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$1.44 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 4% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$3,400 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 14%
industry: 33%
services: 53% (1994)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 8% (1997 est.)
Labor force: NA
by occupation: agriculture, industry, services
Unemployment rate: 20% (1997)
Budget:
revenues: $317 million
expenditures: $333 million, including capital expenditures of $52
million (1997 est.)
Industries: bauxite and gold mining, alumina and aluminum production,
lumbering, food processing, fishing
Industrial production growth rate: 6.5% (1994 est.)
Electricity-capacity: 425,000 kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 1.601 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 3,727 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: paddy rice, bananas, palm kernels, coconuts,
plantains, peanuts; beef, chicken; forest products and shrimp of
increasing importance
Exports:
total value: $434.3 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities: alumina, aluminum, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas
partners: Norway 33%, Netherlands 26%, US 13%, Japan 6%, Brazil 6%, UK
3% (1994)
Imports:
total value: $490 million (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
commodities: capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton,
consumer goods
partners: US 40%, Netherlands 24%, Trinidad and Tobago 11%, Japan 3%
(1994)
Debt-external: $216 million (1996 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient: the Netherlands provided a 1996 aid package of $224 million
to Suriname, Aruba, and the Netherlands Antilles
Currency: 1 Surinamese guilder, gulden, or florin (Sf.) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Surinamese guilders, gulden, or florins (Sf.) per
US$1-central bank midpoint rate: 401.00 (January 1998), 401.00 (1997),
401.26 (1996), 442.23 (1995), 134.12 (1994); parallel rate: 412
(December 1995), 510 (December 1994), 109 (January 1994)
note: beginning July 1994, the central bank midpoint exchange rate was
unified and became market determined
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 43,522 (1992 est.)
Telephone system: international facilities good
domestic: microwave radio relay network
international: satellite earth stations-2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 32, shortwave 1
Radios: 290,256 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 10 (1998 est.)
Televisions: 59,598 (1993 est.)
@Suriname:Transportation
Railways:
total: 166 km (single track)
standard gauge: 80 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 86 km 1.000-m gauge
Highways:
total: 4,530 km
paved: 1,178 km
unpaved: 3,352 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 1,200 km; most important means of transport; oceangoing
vessels with drafts ranging up to 7 m can navigate many of the
principal waterways
Ports and harbors: Albina, Moengo, New Nickerie, Paramaribo, Paranam,
Wageningen
Merchant marine:
total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,421 GRT/2,990 DWT
ships by type: cargo 1, container 1 (1996 est.)
Airports: 45 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 5
over 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 4 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 40
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 33 (1997 est.)
@Suriname:Military
Military branches: National Army (includes small Navy and Air Force
elements), Civil Police
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 117,031 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service:
males: 68,985 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $8.5 million (1997 est.)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 1.6% (1997 est.)
@Suriname:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: claims area in French Guiana between Litani
Rivier and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa Rivier);
claims area in Guyana between New (Upper Courantyne) and
Courantyne/Koetari [Kutari] Rivers (all headwaters of the Courantyne)
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American drugs destined
mostly for Europe
______________________________________________________________________
SVALBARD
(territory of Norway)
@Svalbard:Geography
Location: Northern Europe, islands between the Arctic Ocean, Barents
Sea, Greenland Sea, and Norwegian Sea, north of Norway
Geographic coordinates: 78 00 N, 20 00 E
Map references: Arctic Region
Area:
total: 62,049 sq km
land: 62,049 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Spitsbergen and Bjornoya (Bear Island)
Area-comparative: slightly smaller than West Virginia
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 3,587 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm unilaterally claimed by Norway but not
recognized by Russia
territorial sea: 4 nm
Climate: arctic, tempered by warm North Atlantic Current; cool
summers, cold winters; North Atlantic Current flows along west and
north coasts of Spitsbergen, keeping water open and navigable most of
the year
Terrain: wild, rugged mountains; much of high land ice covered; west
coast clear of ice about one-half of the year; fjords along west and
north coasts
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Arctic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Newtontoppen 1,717 m
Natural resources: coal, copper, iron ore, phosphate, zinc, wildlife,
fish
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100% (no trees and the only bushes are crowberry and
cloudberry)
Irrigated land: NA sq km