Svalbard and Jan Mayen 🇸🇯

Svalbard and Jan Mayen is a territory in Northern Europe, and it is not a sovereign state in its own right. Treaties and official documents call it Svalbard og Jan Mayen. Government sits in Longyearbyen.

The land area is 62,045 km², which ranks it 127th of the 250 countries and territories in this dataset — just behind Latvia and just ahead of Togo. For scale, it is a fraction smaller than Ireland.

Its recorded population is just 2,900, among the smallest anywhere. Among the 16 entries in Northern Europe it ranks 9th by area and 16th by population.

The lie of the land

The coordinates the dataset gives are 78.0° N, 20.0° E, which puts it in the northern hemisphere, roughly 8,683 km from the equator, in what geographers would call polar latitudes.

No land border connects it to another territory. That puts it among the 85 entries of 250 here with no land neighbours, which shapes how it trades and who it deals with.

Who lives in Svalbard and Jan Mayen

Population divided by land area gives roughly 0.05 people per square kilometre, which makes it one of the emptiest inhabited places on the list. Half the entries in this dataset fall below roughly 90 per square kilometre.

Norwegian is the only official language. It shares that with Bouvet Island.

The demonym is Norwegian, so residents are Norwegians.

Against Europe as a whole it is the 52nd most populous of 53 entries, and it accounts for under 1% of everyone living in Northern Europe.

The practical details for Svalbard and Jan Mayen

It uses the krone (kr, NOK). It shares that currency with Norway.

The top-level domain is .sj. Calls from overseas start with +4779. In ISO terms it is sj in two letters and SJM in three.

Longyearbyen is the city to remember for this territory.

On the UN list it does not appear as a member. It uses Norway's currency and issues none of its own, which is the usual mark of a dependency. Of the 250 entries here, 57 are territories or observers rather than member states.

Fun facts about Svalbard and Jan Mayen

• It is 237th of 250 by population, with about 2,900 residents.
• Its currency, the krone, is shared with 1 other entry.
• It has no land border with any other country — one of 85 such entries in this dataset.
• Its capital city is Longyearbyen.
• It lies about 8,683 km from the equator, in polar latitudes.
• Norwegian is official here and in 1 other entry worldwide.

Svalbard and Jan Mayen — frequently asked questions

What is the capital of Svalbard and Jan Mayen?

The capital of Svalbard and Jan Mayen is Longyearbyen.

How big is Svalbard and Jan Mayen?

Svalbard and Jan Mayen covers 62,045 km², ranking 127th of 250 by land area. That makes it a fraction smaller than Ireland.

What currency does Svalbard and Jan Mayen use?

Svalbard and Jan Mayen uses the krone, written kr (currency code NOK). It is shared with 1 other entry: Norway.

Is Svalbard and Jan Mayen a country?

Not in the political sense. Svalbard and Jan Mayen is a dependent territory rather than a sovereign state, and it is not a UN member. The dataset points to Norway as the administering state. It appears on this site because it has its own flag, codes and statistics, but it does not have a seat at the United Nations.

Where is Svalbard and Jan Mayen located?

Svalbard and Jan Mayen is in Northern Europe, part of Europe. Its reference coordinates are 78.0° north and 20.0° east, roughly 8,683 km from the equator in polar latitudes.

What language is spoken in Svalbard and Jan Mayen?

The official language of Svalbard and Jan Mayen is Norwegian. It is also official in 1 other entry on this list.

Does Svalbard and Jan Mayen border any other country?

No. Svalbard and Jan Mayen has no land border with any other country, so every route in or out is by sea or air. 85 of the 250 entries on this site are in the same position.

What is the population of Svalbard and Jan Mayen?

Svalbard and Jan Mayen has a population of about 2,900, which makes it the 237th most populous of the 250 countries and territories listed on this site. The British Indian Ocean Territory sits just above it and Norfolk Island just below.