Svalbard: Quick Facts

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Last updated

Oct. 29, 2026

News •

This Norwegian village is one of the fastest-warming places on Earth. How can its people save it? • Oct. 21, 2026, 2:00 AM ET (The Guardian)

Tap water no longer drinkable in Norwegian village as climate-related thawing releases heavy metals • Oct. 20, 2026, 3:00 AM ET (The Guardian)

Photos and Videos

Svalbard, Norway

Spitsbergen, Norway: polar bear

Map of the Arctic region highlighting the Svalbard archipelago in orange, located north of mainland Norway in the Arctic Ocean. Surrounding countries such as Norway, Russia, Greenland (Denmark), Iceland, Canada, and the United States (Alaska) are labeled, with major seas and islands in the polar area also shown. An inset in the upper left provides a global locator for the region.

The angular concrete entrance of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault is built into a barren hillside on Spitsbergen island, with a blue-lit glass installation above the door.

Tracking climate changes by studying ancient glacial ice

How the Svalbard Global Seed Vault preserves the planet's seeds

See how crop seeds are stored and conserved in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Longyearbyen, Norway

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Arctic: Svalbard

Island, New Caledonia.

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