Spitsbergen

Spitsbergen

Spitsbergen , formerly Vestspitsbergen, largest island (15,075 sq mi/39,044 sq km) of Svalbard , a Norwegian possession in the Arctic Ocean. It rises to Newtontoppen Mt. (c.5,650 ft/1,720 m), the highest point. It is indented by large bays including Isfjorden and Kongsfjorden. Spitsbergen contains the chief mining towns of Svalbard including Longyearbyen , the administrative center. The Svalbard International Seed Vault, a global backup storage facility for the world's seed banks, is on Spitsbergen outside Longyearbyen. The island served as the starting point for polar expeditions of Nils Nordenskjöld , Salomon Andrée , Roald Amundsen , Richard Byrd , Sir George Wilkins , and others.

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"Spitsbergen." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

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Spitsbergen

Spitsbergen, Norway The main island within the Spitsbergen group of islands, themselves part of the Svalbard archipelago. It was named by Willem Barents when he came here in 1596. The name means ‘Needle Mountains’ from the Dutch spits ‘points’ and bergen ‘mountains’ because of their sharp ridges.

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JOHN EVERETT-HEATH. "Spitsbergen." Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

JOHN EVERETT-HEATH. "Spitsbergen." Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O209-Spitsbergen.html

JOHN EVERETT-HEATH. "Spitsbergen." Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. 2005. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O209-Spitsbergen.html

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Spitsbergen

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"Spitsbergen." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"Spitsbergen." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-Spitsbergen.html

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Free newspaper and magazine articles

NASA considers Spitsbergen for Mars mission training and tests.(Brief Article)
Newspaper article from: Nordic Business Report; 7/7/2003
Scottish explorer planned to annex Spitsbergen, according to biography.(Brief...
Newspaper article from: Nordic Business Report; 3/14/2003
Greetings from Spitsbergen; tourists at the eternal ice 1827-1914.(Brief...
Magazine article from: Reference &amp; Research Book News; 5/1/2010

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