Spitsbergen Explorer Map by Ocean Explorer Maps

This is a fairly rudimentary map at 1:1,000,000 scale. It is, perhaps, a bit "touristy" as it features miscellaneous information about Svalbard and local flora and fauna around the perimeter and on the back side of the map, but that may prove useful and it does not detract from the map. It is is adequate for providing the seaborne visitor to Svalbard with an overview of the coastline and the fjords of the archipelago, but it would not be sufficiently detailed for any other use.A better 1:1,000,000 scale topographic map is available from The Norwegian Polar Institute. Though the same scale, it identifies more areas within Svlabard and reflects the topography which is useful. That map can purchased online at the Norwegian Polar Institute website or at the Svalbard Museum in Longyearbyen after you arrive. It has legends in English as well as Norwegian. The Norwegian Polar Institute also offers maps at higher resolution scales of 1:500.000, 1:250:000 and 1:100.000 as multipart maps due to their size, of course. The Norwegian Polar Institute also features a highly detailed 1:320,000 interactive map online which is great for reference. It can be a bit hard to locate on their site, but is a great reference for use online.If you are headed to Svalbard, you might also enjoy the DVD  The Great White Bear  which is a wonderful, one hour National Geographic program filmed in the Svalbard region of Norway. It loosely follows the lives of a mother polar bear and two cubs over the first two years of the cubs' lives and provides an introduction to other life in the region such as seals, arctic foxes, arctic terns, guillemots, walruses and others.

This map is not detailed at all. While it does have cities, it has little useful information about anything other than place names. It is very small so it provides only the barest of information. It does provide relevant positions of settlements in Svalbard, and basic ( very basic ) regional and geography information but it has very little useful information for anyone looking to understand terrain, geography, roads, historic travel routes, etc. I have been to Svalbard one time, and I was looking for a map that I could use to develop a second trip back. There is simplistic and none detailed information on the back about important people in the island's history and some basic flora and animal life blurbs. If you want a simple map, this will do. However, if have found it to be a big disappointment and its expensive on top of that. I'd be willing to pay $5-7 for this, not 18.

I am going on a circumnavigation of Spitsbergen archepelago in June/July, 2009, and needed a good reference map. This exceeded my expectations as the map shows not only details of all the islands and their protected areas (park, reserves) with a few general photos, but also on the obverse, detailed info on the explorers, birds, mammals, plants, and even a few invertebrates with photos. A godsend when you are on a ship.Use with  The Arctic: A Guide to Coastal Wildlife, 2nd (Bradt Guides)

Great map

Not a real topo map. This is a tourist map you would find for free in an information depot. Not worth your money... Total rip off

This map will be a great help to me when I visit Svalbard in June.

Very good map

Disappointed with the quality of this map - which looks like a freeby from the tourist information office. Unfortunately, this is the only map of the area available (to my knowledge) and thus cannot be bypast by the traveller to these parts. Make sure to have it laminated though, or keep it in a waterproof pouch, or it will not survive the journey.

Quick delivery and an ideal gift for a Dad who loves hoping that he will get on a holiday of a life time from a boy who wants to go with him,. The stuff dreams are made of.

We had expected something a little nearer the O.S. It does give us some idea as to where we hope to be going.

Not as detailed as I would expect for the price paid.

Lots of information about the islands, history and wildlife etc, but actual map severely lacking in detail.