Svartisen is a collective term for two
glaciers located in northern
Norway. The system consists of two separate glaciers,
- Vestre (western) Svartisen (221 km2), which is the second largest glacier on the Norwegian mainland (there are larger glaciers on Svalbard) after Jostedalsbreen
- Østre (eastern) Svartisen (148 km2), which is the country's fourth largest.
There are also a number of minor glaciers in the area, such as Glombreen in the northern part of
Meløy, and Simlebreen in
Beiarn. One of the outlet glaciers of Svartisen,
Engabreen ends at the lowest point of any glacier on the European mainland, at 20 meters
above sea level (in 2007). The
Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate has monitored the
glacier mass balance of the glacier since 1970 and operates a sub-glacial laboratory beneath Engabreen.