Svalbard

What is Svalbard and where is it located?

Svalbard is located at the 80th parallel and belongs to the Arctic. It lies along that latitude between Greenland and Franz Josef Land.

By Spitzbergen we usually mean the whole archipelago. In Norwegian, the archipelago is also called Svalbard. Spitzbergen is actually just one of the islands, and the largest one at that. Longyearbyen, the capital of Svalbard with around 2800 inhabitants, is also located on this island. Nordaustlanden, Edgeøya and Barentsøya are also part of the larger islands.

There is also Bjørnøya (Bear Island) to the south of the main islands and Kong Karls Land to the east.

Who owns Spitsbergen?

Norway was granted sovereignty by the Spitsbergen Treaty in Paris in 1925, on the condition that all signatory countries enjoyed the same rights there.

Signehamna, Sptzbergen, Fjord, Glaciers — Signehamna fjord, Svalbard. Created by Stephan Bellmann.

What is the difference between winter and summer on Svalbard?

Between 26 October and 15 February, the sun remains below the horizon. The polar night begins, although the real darkness without twilight does not start until November.

The polar day is between 20 April and 20 August, when the sun does not set.

Due to the Gulf Stream, maritime climate conditions prevail on Svalbard. The lowest temperatures are recorded in March. During the day it is around -7°, at night around -15°.

In July, average temperatures of +7° during the day and +4° at night can be expected.

How many people live on Svalbard?

Spitsbergen has a population of around 2890.

Longyearbyen and Ny-Ålesund have a combined population of around 2530 inhabitants. However, these differ from winter to summer. In 2022, for example, 234 residents moved away and around 350 residents moved back due to the extreme seasonal fluctuations. The number of inhabitants tends to increase.

How is Svalbard used by people?

In the 17th and 18th centuries, Svalbard was mainly used for whaling. Seals and walruses were also hunted in large numbers. The population has not recovered to this day, especially in the case of whales.

From 1900 onwards, coal mining became increasingly important. Many mining pits were built between 1900 and 1920. Especially in Longyearbyen and Ny-Ålesund. However, coal mining was never economically viable, which is why there was a massive decline by the middle of the 20th century.

Spitsbergen was also used as the starting point for many North Pole expeditions. One well-known example is Ronald Amundsen, who flew over the North Pole from Ny-Ålesund in a zeppelin.

Today, Svalbard is mainly used for research. Income from tourism is also very important.

Ny-Ålesund, Spitzbergen, Svalbard — Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard. Created by Agnes Schneider.

What is the main focus of research on Svalbard?

AWIPEV is a research station in Ny-Ålesund . Koldeway Station is the German part of it. Since 1993 there has also been a university centre in Svalbard, more precisely in Longyearbyen. In general, research is carried out in many specialized fields. Among other things, there is research into the atmosphere, permafrost, glaciology, meteorology, biology, satellite communication ...

Which animals mainly live on Svalbard?

The bird population is the most diverse on Svalbard. More than 30 bird species can be found on and around Spitsbergen. Well-known mammals include the reindeer, the arctic fox, the polar bear, the walrus, other seal species and various whale species.