Svalbard is a Norwegian archipelago located on a latitude between 74 degrees and 82 degrees north. While Norway has sovereignty over the area the Svalbard Treaty of 1920 provides certain rights to a variety of countries.  This primary involved natural resources .

​

The land home to approximately 3,000 polar bears which outnumbers the human residence of about 2,500 .  Anyone traveling outside the settlements (that is not part of a formal tour) must be equipped with suitable means of scaring off polar bears.