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May 15, 2020 · Located 800km north of mainland Norway in the middle of the Arctic Ocean, Svalbard is full of superlatives: it’s the world’s northernmost year-round settlement; it’s home to the world’s...
- Living in The High Arctic
- An Introduction to Svalbard
- Challenges of Life in Svalbard
- Why Does Norway Govern Svalbard?
- How to Move to Svalbard
- Longyearbyen: The Northernmost Capital
- Science and Research in Svalbard
- Employment and Tax on Svalbard
- Family Services & Healthcare on Svalbard
- Housing in Longyearbyen
On all three visits I had my journalist hat on and spoke to many people who live and work in Svalbard. Some of those people have since moved on, but their advice remains useful. I've also pulled together a lot of information provided by the Governor of Svalbard and the Community Council in Longyearbyen, all of which is essential to know if you are ...
Svalbard, a group of islands in the High Arctic, represents one of the world’s northernmost inhabited areas. Human life is concentrated in just a handful of settlements on the biggest island, Spitsbergen. This remote wilderness of icy fjords, glaciers, and frozen tundra, is a place for true adventurers, but there are major challenges, not least the...
The biggest challenge faced by anyone living on Svalbard is adjusting to the harsh climate. While summers can be mild and snow-free, they come with permanent sunlight for months. In contrast, winters are permanently dark with snowstorms and avalanches common problems. As a resident on Svalbard you are merely a guest of the islands' true citizens: p...
The first thing to understand is how Svalbard is governed. The islands are part of Norway but are covered by the Svalbard Treaty, which gives equal rights to engage in commercial activities to the 46 signatories. The Norwegian Government appoints a Governorwho also acts as Chief of Police. This role performed by this office of more than 30 people e...
Technically, it's easy to move to Svalbard. That's because the archipelago is an entirely visa-free zone and you do not need a residence permit to live on Svalbard. But the reality is quite different. The remote nature of the islands and limited employment opportunities mean that unless you have a job offer, you must be able to support yourself wit...
As the biggest settlement on the archipelago, Longyearbyenis where the majority of residents of Svalbard live, work and play. Approximately 2,000 people live in the town, although the population fluctuates because of the large student population and the seasonal nature of tourism. Longyearbyen Lokalstyre(Community Council) operates the school, kind...
Students and researchersmake up a big proportion of Longyearbyen's population these days. The University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) has become a global centre for Arctic research. UNIS specialises in Arctic Biology, Arctic Geology, Arctic Geophysics and Arctic Technology. Everyone studying on Svalbard also takes training in Arctic safety at the UNIS...
Employment opportunities in Longyearbyen are limited, especially since the recent closure of most mining activities. Major employers include the Governor's Office, the Community Council, the University Centre in Svalbard, the school, and of course the tourism industry. It is worth checking the job listings from the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Admi...
The school teaches lessons in English and Norwegian through to upper secondary level. There is also a kindergarten for children aged 1-5. The community council's child and family welfare service provides support and assistance to children, young people and families who are having a difficult time at home. Longyearbyen has a hospital staffed by prof...
Like what you read so far? Well, hold your horses, because there's a major hurdle to leap over first. Finding a house—or more realistically a room—is a big barrier. Longyearbyen is a former mining town. As such, the majority of accommodation was built for mine workers and people providing services to them. Nowadays, the vast majority of homes are o...
- Even Norwegians need to show their passport when travelling to Svalbard. That's because while Norway is part of the European Schengen area, the archipelago is not.
- You must carry a gun outside the settlements. In a 2012 law the Governor of Svalbard requires anyone travelling outside the settlements to have the means to scare off a polar bear.
- Polar bears live alongside people. The population changes seasonally but there tends to be around 2,500 people living in Svalbard. Nearly everyone lives in the capital, Longyearbyen.
- Seven of Norway's 47 national parks are on Svalbard. Norway's national parks are created to ensure the preservation of nature for future generations.
The name Svalbard was officially adopted for the archipelago by Norway under the 1925 Svalbard Act which formally annexed it. The former name Spitsbergen was thenceforth restricted to the main island. In 1827 Baltazar Keilhau first proposed that the Old Norse toponym Svalbarði, found in medieval Icelandic sources, referred to Spitsbergen.
- 1,718 m (5,636 ft)
- 62,045 km² (23,956 sq mi) (not ranked)
- 917x
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Jan 14, 2022 · As the whalers abandoned Svalbard for new hunting grounds on the open seas, the next phase of Svalbard's history began with fur trappers and sealers arriving. In 1697, Russian vessels called lodyas with a crew of 24 men were seen in Spitsbergen waters and were sent by private companies such as the White Sea Fishing Company, private adventurers ...
- Kim Martins
Feb 14, 2022 · The Svalbard archipelago is located about 575 miles north of Norway's northernmost city, Tromsø, and only 685 miles south of the North Pole (per Climates to Travel and The Atlantic, respectively). At a latitude of 74 to 80 degrees, Svalbard's hottest annual temperature reaches only about 6.7 degrees Celsius in July (44 Fahrenheit).
May 2, 2024 · Svalbard, archipelago, part of Norway, located in the Arctic Ocean well north of the Arctic Circle. The islands lie between longitude 10° and 35° E and latitude 74° and 81° N, about 580 miles (930 km) north of Tromsø, Norway. The archipelago is composed of nine main islands: Spitsbergen (formerly West Spitsbergen), North East Land, Edge ...
