The map area, covering 2,250 km", lies in the central part of Spitsbergen, south of Isfjorden. Geological investigations were started by Swedish expeditions in the last half of the 19th century, and the work was continued in the present century mainly by Norwegian expeditions. The region is mountainous, moderately glaciated, but shows a juvenile glacial morphology. The climate is polar. The rock sequence exposed in the area is c. 3,400 m thick and consists of two Permian, six Mesozoic, and six Tertiary formations. The Permian deposits are mainly eherts , cherty limestones, limestones, and sandstones deposited under marine conditions. The Mesozoic-Tertiary sequence is composed generally of shales, siltstones, and sandstones deposited mainly in marine environments, and to a lesser extent under terrestrial conditions. Surficial deposits of Quaternary age are largely of glacial, colluvial, alluvial, and marine origin <...>