Svalbard (including
Bear Island), in the Arctic, a part of Norway since 1920.
Jan Mayen, in the Arctic, a part of Norway since 1929.
Svalbard with Bear Island are subject to the provisions of the
Svalbard Treaty.
Svalbard and Jan Mayen are sometimes grouped together for some categorization purposes.
Current
dependencies of Norway are all in the southern polar region:
Peter I Island, in the Antarctic and Southern Ocean, possession since 1929.
Bouvet Island, in the sub-Antarctic and South Atlantic Ocean, possession since 1930.
Greenland, colonized pre-1261 and crown dependency from 1261 to 1814, ceded by the Treaty of Kiel.[3]
Iceland, settled and colonized pre-1262 and crown dependencies from 1262 to 1814, ceded by the Treaty of Kiel of 1814.[3]
The actual time of cession of the islands is somewhat disputed. Some claim it took place with the
Union of Denmark and Norway in 1536/37, as the possessions of the Norwegian crown were claimed by the Oldenburg king. Nevertheless, they were still referred to as "dependencies of Norway" in later official documents. Also the
Treaty of Kiel states: "...and provinces, constituting the kingdom of Norway, [..], together with their dependencies (Greenland, the Faroe Isles, and Iceland, excepted); [...] shall belong in full and sovereign property to the King of Sweden,...", clearly indicating that they were until 1814 regarded as a part of
Norway.[3]
The spread of Norwegian whaling industry to Antarctica in the early 20th century motivated Norway, right after its independence from the
United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway in 1905, to pursue territorial expansion not only in the
Arctic claiming
Jan Mayen and
Sverdrup Islands, but also in Antarctica. Norway claimed
Bouvet Island and looked further south, formally inquiring with
Foreign Office about the international status of the area between
45° and
65° south latitude and
35° and
80° west longitude. Following a second such diplomatic démarche by the Norwegian Government dated 4 March 1907, Britain replied that the areas were British based on discoveries made in the first half of the 19th century, and issued the 1908
Letters Patent incorporating the British Falkland Islands Dependencies with a permanent local administration in
Grytviken established in 1909.[23][24]
Sverdrup Islands, now part of
Canada, claimed from 1902 until Canadian sovereignty recognised in 1930, as part of an agreement with the
British Empire, for the British to recognise Jan Mayen as Norwegian territory.[26]
Svalbard (including
Bear Island), in the Arctic, a part of Norway since 1920.
Jan Mayen, in the Arctic, a part of Norway since 1929.
Svalbard with Bear Island are subject to the provisions of the
Svalbard Treaty.
Svalbard and Jan Mayen are sometimes grouped together for some categorization purposes.
Current
dependencies of Norway are all in the southern polar region:
Peter I Island, in the Antarctic and Southern Ocean, possession since 1929.
Bouvet Island, in the sub-Antarctic and South Atlantic Ocean, possession since 1930.
Greenland, colonized pre-1261 and crown dependency from 1261 to 1814, ceded by the Treaty of Kiel.[3]
Iceland, settled and colonized pre-1262 and crown dependencies from 1262 to 1814, ceded by the Treaty of Kiel of 1814.[3]
The actual time of cession of the islands is somewhat disputed. Some claim it took place with the
Union of Denmark and Norway in 1536/37, as the possessions of the Norwegian crown were claimed by the Oldenburg king. Nevertheless, they were still referred to as "dependencies of Norway" in later official documents. Also the
Treaty of Kiel states: "...and provinces, constituting the kingdom of Norway, [..], together with their dependencies (Greenland, the Faroe Isles, and Iceland, excepted); [...] shall belong in full and sovereign property to the King of Sweden,...", clearly indicating that they were until 1814 regarded as a part of
Norway.[3]
The spread of Norwegian whaling industry to Antarctica in the early 20th century motivated Norway, right after its independence from the
United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway in 1905, to pursue territorial expansion not only in the
Arctic claiming
Jan Mayen and
Sverdrup Islands, but also in Antarctica. Norway claimed
Bouvet Island and looked further south, formally inquiring with
Foreign Office about the international status of the area between
45° and
65° south latitude and
35° and
80° west longitude. Following a second such diplomatic démarche by the Norwegian Government dated 4 March 1907, Britain replied that the areas were British based on discoveries made in the first half of the 19th century, and issued the 1908
Letters Patent incorporating the British Falkland Islands Dependencies with a permanent local administration in
Grytviken established in 1909.[23][24]
Sverdrup Islands, now part of
Canada, claimed from 1902 until Canadian sovereignty recognised in 1930, as part of an agreement with the
British Empire, for the British to recognise Jan Mayen as Norwegian territory.[26]