The Svalbard “Channel”, 1920–2020—A Geopolitical Sketch

Abstract

From the discovery of Spitsbergen in 1596 to the post-Cold War period, Spitsbergen (re-named Svalbard in 1925) was an international hot spot during periods when the powers struggled over its resources, either whale or coal. From the last quarter of the nineteenth century, the archipelago was in the centre of great power interest due to its geostrategic position as a strait or “channel” to the Barents Sea and thus to northern Russia. The chapter discusses how the Svalbard Treaty of 1920 was an important tool for balancing Russian interests in this “channel” with Norwegian sovereignty in the archipelago. The Treaty’s combination of Norwegian sovereignty, international common rights for continued resource utilisation, and demilitarisation are discussed as an international example of how modern international law in the Arctic may serve to stabilise a potential geopolitical conflict area.