Svalbard and Jan Mayen

Svalbard and Jan Mayen are two remote Arctic archipelagos belonging to Norway, situated between 74° N and 81° N latitude.

Svalbard, the larger of the pair, is famed for its dramatic glaciers, polar‑bear‑populated wildlife, and the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, a secure backup of the world’s seed diversity. Jan Mayen, a tiny volcanic island group in the North Atlantic, is mostly barren and hosts a small Norwegian research station and an airstrip used for scientific and logistical missions.

Both territories enjoy special status under Norwegian law, balancing indigenous Sámi cultural ties, environmental protection, and strategic geopolitical interests in the High Arctic.