The Svalbard Treaty of February 1920 placed the arctic islands of Svalbard under the governorship of Norway. However, the islands were not made a part of Norway, and not all Norwegian law applies. All signatories were given equal rights to run businesses (with a view to coal mining) on the islands. Currently (2004) Norway and Russia are utilising this right. The treaty also stated that these strategically-placed islands were not to be militarised.
The original signatories include Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, India, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the USA. Russia signed in 1924 and Germany in 1925. There are now over 40 signatories.
Norway took over governership in 1925 and immediately enacted a series of environmental protection measures.
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