ABSTRACT
Security challenges in the Svalbard area relate to traditional geopolitics as well as the exploitation of natural resources – on land, in the 200-mile Fisheries Protection Zone and on the continental shelf surrounding the archipelago. To Russia, the Norwegian archipelago represents a strategic challenge due to its proximity to the Northern Fleet’s bases and sea lanes. In the maritime areas surrounding Svalbard, the security challenges also relate to international disagreements over natural resources such as fish, crab, oil, and gas. Limited support from NATO allies in legal matters puts Norway in a predicament.
