Svalbard (; prior to 1925 known by its Dutch name Spitsbergen, meaning "jagged mountains") is a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean. Situated north of mainland Europe, it is about midway between continental Norway and the North Pole. The islands of the group range from 74° to 81° north latitude, and from 10° to 35° east longitude. The largest island is Spitsbergen, followed by Nordaustlandet and Edgeøya. 

Administratively, the archipelago is not part of any Norwegian county, but forms an unincorporated area administered by a governor appointed by the Norwegian government. Since 2002, Svalbard's main settlement, Longyearbyen, has had an elected local government, somewhat similar to mainland municipalities. Other settlements include the Russian mining community of Barentsburg, the research station of Ny-Ålesund, and the mining outpost of Sveagruva. Ny-Ålesund is the northernmost settlement in the world with a permanent civilian population. Other settlements are farther north, but are populated only by rotating groups of researchers. 

The islands were first taken into use as a whaling base in the 17th and 18th centuries, after which they were abandoned. Coal mining started at the beginning of the 20th century, and several permanent communities were established. The Svalbard Treaty of 1920 recognizes Norwegian sovereignty, and the 1925 Svalbard Act made Svalbard a full part of the Kingdom of Norway. They also established Svalbard as a free economic zone and a demilitarized zone. The Norwegian Store Norske and the Russian Arktikugol remain the only mining companies in place. Research and tourism have become important supplementary industries, with the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) and the Svalbard Global Seed Vault playing critical roles. No roads connect the settlements; instead snowmobiles, aircraft and boats serve inter-community transport. Svalbard Airport, Longyear serves as the main gateway.

Answer this series of questions:

1. what is the name of the airport?
2. what were the islands first used as?
3. when?
4. is it still used for the same purpose today?
5. who mainly stays further in the north?
6. is it part of any norwegian county?
7. what is it's dutch name?
8. when was it known by this name?
9. is it in the pacific ocean?
10. then where?
11. how many supplemental industries have become important?
12. which ones?
13. what kind of mining goes on?
14. when did this start?
15. which mining community can you find?
16. what has happened since 2002?
17. what does the dutch name mean?
18. Spitsbergen is bigger than which islands?
19. where is the research station?
20. what did the 1925 act do?

Numbered answers:
1. Svalbard Airport
2. as a whaling base
3. in the 17th and 18th centuries
4. no
5. rotating groups of researchers
6. no
7. Spitsbergen
8. prior to 1925
9. no
10. the Arctic Ocean
11. two
12. Research and tourism
13. Coal mining
14. at the beginning of the 20th century
15. Barentsburg
16. Longyearbyen has had an elected local government
17. "jagged mountains"
18. Nordaustlandet and Edgeøya
19. Ny-Ålesund
20. It made Svalbard a full part of the Kingdom of Norway.