In 1896, Vesteraalens Dampskibsselskab started tours to Hotellneset. To accommodate tourists, they built a prefabricated hotel, but it was not profitable and was closed after the 1897 season. However, two families overwintered in 1898–99[1] and Norway Post operated a post office at Hotellneset from 1897 to 1899.[2] The first commercially viable coal on Svalbard was harvested by Søren Zakariassen in 1899.[3] In 1901, Bergen-Spitsbergen Kullgrube-kompani started mining coal in Adventtoppen.[4]
The American industrialist John Munroe Longyear visited Spitsbergen as a tourist in 1901, where he met with an expedition prospecting for coal. He returned to Spitsbergen 1903, where he met Henrik B. Næss in Adventfjorden, who gave him samples and information on coal fields. Along with his associate Frederick Ayer, Longyear bought the Norwegian claims on the west side of Adventfjorden, and expanded the claims significantly the following year. In 1906, the Boston-based Arctic Coal Company, with Ayer and Longyear as the main shareholders, started mining in Mine 1a, after having built docks and housing.[5] The company had American administration, but mostly Norwegian labourers, and named the town Longyear City.[4] Coal was transported the 1.2 kilometers (0.75 mi) from the mine to the port using an aerial tramway built by the former world leading aerial cableway company Adolf Bleichert & Co. from Leipzig, Germany.[6] In 1913, the company started preliminary work to open Mine 2a.[7]
Mine 2b was mined from 1938 to 1969 and today it is a heritage site
Following financial difficulties during the First World War,[4] the mining operations were bought by Store Norske, which was incorporated in Oslo on 30 November 1916.[8] That year, SNSK built five new barracks, including one that was made into a hospital.[9] SNSK introduced its own money with approval from Norges Bank, consisting entirely of banknotes at par with Norwegian krone.[10] The American community buried their dead at Hotellneset. In 1918, eleven people were killed by the Spanish flu and a graveyard was established in Longyear City.[11] Two years later, 26 men were killed in a coal dust explosion in Mine 1. This resulted in the mine being closed[4] and electric operation being taken into use in Mine 2.[7] The same year, the first truck was delivered for use in the mining operations.[12]
The Church of Norway appointed Thorleif Østenstad as Svalbard's first vicar and teacher in 1920.[13] A school was established as a cooperation between the church and SNSK and had an inaugural eight pupils.[14] The first Svalbard Church opened on 28 August 1921,[13] and the church's reading room was from then used as a school.[14] Longyear City was renamed Longyearbyen in 1926.[15]
The Norwegian Telecommunications Administration established a coast radio station, Svalbard Radio, at Finneset in 1911, which was moved to Longyearbyen in 1930.[16] The town's tourist industry started in 1935, when SS Lyngen started calling regularly during the summer season.[17] In 1937, SNSK established Sverdrupbyen to house workers for Mine 1b and operation of the mine started in 1939.[18] In 1938, Longyearbyen's first road was completed, between the town center and Sverdrupbyen.[19] Operations at Mine 2b, a different entrance to Mine 2a, started in 1939.[7]
The old power station, one of a handful of buildings that survived the Second World War, and the cable centre
Svalbard remained unaffected by the German occupation of Norway in 1940. However, from 1941 the archipelago became of strategic importance in the supply chain between the Allied powers, as well as a source of badly needed coal. The Norwegian government-in-exile rejected a Soviet–British occupation;[20] instead the British Army started Operation Gauntlet to evacuate Spitsbergen. On 29 August 1941, the entire population of Ny-Ålesund was evacuated to Longyearbyen, and on 3 September 765 people were evacuated from Longyearbyen to Scotland. Later the last 150 men were also evacuated.[21] With Longyearbyen depopulated, a small German garrison and air strip was established in Adventdalen, mostly to provide meteorological data. After the British Operation Fritham regained control of Barentsburg, the German forces left Longyearbyen without combat.[22]
In September 1943, the Kriegsmarine dispatched two battleships, Tirpitz and Scharnhorst, and nine destroyers to bombard Longyearbyen, Barentsburg and Grumant.[22] Only four buildings in Longyearbyen survived: the hospital, the power station, an office building and a residential building, in addition to Sverdrupbyen. Longyearbyen remained unsettled until the end of the war, with the first ship from the mainland leaving on 27 June 1945.[23]
Plans were laid during the war to ensure a quick reconstruction and commencing of mining. By 1948, coal production reached the pre-war level of 480,000 tonnes (470,000 long tons; 530,000 short tons) per year.[24]Nybyen was established in 1946 and consisted of five barracks, each housing 72 people.[25] The first issue of Svalbardposten was published in November 1948. Until then, there had irregularly been published various wall newspapers.[26] In 1949, Longyearbyen received telephone service with the mainland via a radio connection between Svalbard Radio and Harstad.[16] In 1949, a farm was built in Longyearbyen to hold cattle for milk, pigs and hens.[27] A local radio station started broadcasting in 1950.[28] The burial ground remained in use until 1950, seeing 44 people buried.[29] However, it was discovered that the bodies were failing to decompose because of the permafrost. Bodies have since been sent to the mainland for burial.[30] The community center Huset opened in 1951.[31]
Mining in Mine 1b was terminated in 1958,[7] but operation in Mine 5 started the following year. Preliminary work on Mine 4 started in 1954, and from 1960 it was used as a reserve mine.[32] The Norwegian Air Force started serving Longyearbyen with postal flights in the 1950s. In 1959, a man fell seriously ill, so a landing strip was prepared in Adventdalen. From the same year, Braathens SAFE started serving the tundra airport with irregular winter flights.[33] In 1957, a principal was hired at the primary school and a new church was opened on 24 August 1958.[13] From 1961, the primary school was supplemented by a private middle school.[14] A branch of Tromsø Sparebank opened in 1959.[34]
In the 1960s, the town's farm was closed and replaced by industrial liquifying of powdered milk.[35] The first serial-produced snowmobile was taken into use in 1961. By 1969, there were 140 registered snowmobiles and only 33 registered cars.[12] From 1962 to 1984, a recreational centre was run at Sverdrupbyen.[18] Ordinary operation in Mine 4 started in 1966 but was terminated by 1970,[32] two years after Mine 2b closed.[7] Operations in Mine 6 commenced in 1969.[32]Television broadcasting equipment was installed in 1969, with the schedule of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation being aired with a two-week delay.[28]
In 1971, a new school building, with a combined primary and lower secondary school, was opened, along with a new gymnasium and a 12.5-meter (41 ft) swimming pool.[14] The Svalbard Council was established on 1 November 1971. It consisted of 17 non-partisan members that were elected or appointed in three different groups—SNSK employees, government employees and others, although the ratio changed several times.[36] Operations of Mine 3 started in March 1971[7] and operations in Mine 7 commenced the following year.[32] In 1973, the Ministry of Trade and Industry bought a third of SNSK. It continued buying additional shares until reaching a 99.94 percent ownership in 1976.[37] The airport was opened in 1975 and initially provided four weekly services to mainland Norway and semi-weekly services to Russia.[38] In 1978, the community received satellite communications with the mainland.[28] The same year, an upper secondary program was introduced at the public school.[14] From 1984, television programmes were broadcast live via satellite.[28]
Store Norske underwent a gradual change during the 1980s. Since 1980, Spitsbergen money has been taken out of circulation and replaced with ordinary Norwegian currency.[10] Mine 6 closed the following year.[32] From 1982, SNSK permitted private individuals to own and operate cars. By 1990, there were 353 registered cars and 883 snowscooters.[39] On 1 July 1983, SNSK moved its head office from Bergen to Longyearbyen.[8]Svalbard Samfunnsdrift (SSD), a limited company that was responsible for public infrastructure and services, was established by SNSK on 1 January 1989. Responsibilities included healthcare, the fire brigade, the kindergarten, roads, rubbish disposal, power production, the water and sewer system, the cinema, cultural actives and the library. Ownership was taken over by the Ministry of Trade and Industry on 1 January 1993.[40]
During the 1990s, the authorities started a process to "normalise" Longyearbyen by abolishing the company town scheme and introducing a full range of services, a varied economy and local democracy.[41] Commercial enterprises included a shopping mall replacing SNSK's provision store in 1992.[42] Similarly, Esso opened a commercial fuel station in 1994.[39] The Svalbard Council changed its regulations from 1993 and allowed parties to run for election.[43] In a step to increase tourism, Svalbard Polar Hotel opened in 1995,[44] and a year later mining of Mine 3 terminated.[7] Longyearbyen Community Council was established in 2002, replacing the Svalbard Council and assimilating SSD, and took on many of the responsibilities and the structure of a municipality.[37]
View of the central parts of Longyearbyen from Platåberget. The body of water is Adventfjorden while the valley up to the right is Adventdalen.
Longyearbyen seen from the top of the hill
Longyearbyen, the largest settlement in Svalbard, is located in the lower portion of the Longyear Valley, along the Longyear River. The lower parts of the town lie along the southwestern shore of the bay of Adventfjorden, a 7-by-4-kilometer (41⁄2 by 21⁄2 mi) branch of Isfjorden.[52] Longyearbyen is on the Nordenskiöld Land peninsula of Spitsbergen, the largest island of the Svalbard archipelago.[5] It is the world's northern-most town, with all settlements further north being research or meteorological outposts.[53] Across the bay lie the ghost towns of Advent City[54] and Hiorthhamn.[52]
Longyearbyen is divided into several neighbourhoods. On the west side of the river, along the bay, lies the port and affiliated utility and industrial services. The western part of this area is called Bykaia and the eastern part Sjøområdet. Above lies Skjæringa, the site of the Governor's offices. Slightly up the valley on the west side lies Gamle Longyearbyen ("Old Longyearbyen") and the church. Even further up lies the graveyard, then Huset and the cinema, and finally Sverdrupbyen. Most of the residential, commercial and cultural institutions are located on the east side of the river. Along the bay the area is called Sjøskrenten. Further up lies the university centre and Gruvedalen, the largest residential area. Southwards from there is the main shopping area as well as the town hall. To the east is the residential area Lia and further up Haugen, which is also the location of the school. Furthest up in the valley is Mine 2b and Nybyen, which is mostly used as student housing. Westwards out of town towards Hotellneset is the airport and Mine 3. The remaining mines are located in Adventdalen, to the east of town.[55]
Svalbard's climate is a combination of an Arctic climate (Köppen: ET) tempered by the North Atlantic Current. Nordenskiöld Land is the warmest and wettest part of the archipelago, caused by the convergence of mild and humid air from the south and cold air from the north. Average summer highs are typically 3 to 7 °C (37 to 45 °F) while average winter highs are −11 to −13 °C (12 to 9 °F).[56] Longyearbyen experiences midnight sun from 19 April to 23 August (127 days), polar night from 27 October to 14 February (121 days) and civil polar night from 14 November to 29 January. However, due to shading from mountains, the sun is not visible in Longyearbyen until around 8 March.[57] Snow typically covers the town from November to March. The warmest temperature ever recorded in Longyearbyen was 21.3 °C (70.3 °F) in July 1979 and the coldest was −46.3 °C (−51.3 °F) in March 1986. Svalbard and Longyearbyen are among the places in the world that have warmed fastest in the latest decades. The average temperatures in the table below are based on 1961–90. In the more recent period 1981–2010, winter has warmed 3.4 °C (6.1 °F) and summer 1 °C (1.8 °F) compared to 1961–90.[58]
Tourists crowd the main street, with a shopping mall closest and the town hall further down
As of 2015[update], Longyearbyen had a population of 2,144 people.[64] The largest regional group of Norwegians are from Northern Norway, particularly Nordland and Troms, who make up more than 40 percent of the population.[65] Roughly 300 people (16 percent) are non-Norwegian citizens, with the largest nationalities being from Thailand, Sweden, Russia and Ukraine.[64] Because of the dominance of the mining industry, the gender distribution is skewed with 60 percent of adults being males. Longyearbyen has an over-average share of its population between 25 and 44 years old, but nearly no residents over 66. The number of children in relation to the population is at the national average, but Longyearbyen has significantly fewer teenagers than the national average.[65]
As of 2014[update] Thai people, numbering 120, were the second largest group of residents after Norwegians;[66] there were 60 in 2006. Thais first came to Svalbard when men brought their wives from Thailand during the 1970s.[67] An RT (Russia Today) article stated that a Thai émigré named Sompong Haug, who married a man and arrived in Svalbard in the 1980s, was "the founder of the Thai community" in Longyearbyen and "the unofficial president of the burgeoning Thai community."[68] In 2006, most of the Thai residents worked as cleaners,[67] and as of 2011 most stay for terms of two to three years to save funds.[68] In 2007, 10 students at the Longyearbyen School were Thai.[69] The Thai community holds festivals each November, and the community has a Thai restaurant and a Thai supermarket.[66]
Longyearbyen experiences a very high turnover; in 2008, 427 people (23 percent) moved away from the town.[64] The average person lived in Longyearbyen for 6.3 years, although it is 6.6 years for Norwegians and 4.3 years for foreigners. In 2009, about a quarter of the population had lived in the town since before 2000, and can thus be regarded as its permanent population. The longest-residing people tend to work in the mining industry, followed by local government employees. The shortest tenures are held by students and employees in higher education, tourism and the state.[65]
Seventy percent of households consist of a single person, compared to forty-one percent on the mainland, giving an average 1.6 people per household. The difference is largely caused by persons working on Svalbard while their family remains on the mainland. Longyearbyen's population is more highly educated than the national average: 54 percent compared to 43 percent have upper secondary education and 30 percent compared to 26 percent have tertiary education. Among women, 40 percent have higher education.[65]
Longyearbyen Community Council has many of the same responsibilities of a municipality.[37] It is organised with a 15-member council that since 2011 has been led by Mayor Christin Kristoffersen of the Labour Party.[70] The council's main responsibilities are infrastructure and utilities, including power, land-use and community planning, education from kindergarten to upper secondary level and child welfare. It operates three kindergartens in addition to the 13-grade Longyearbyen School.[71]
The Svalbard Treaty of 1920 established full Norwegian sovereignty over the archipelago. The treaty came into effect in 1925, following the Svalbard Act that established the institution of the Governor of Svalbard. The governor holds the responsibility as both county governor and chief of police, as well as holding other authority granted from the executive branch. Duties include environmental policy, family law, law enforcement, search and rescue, tourism management, information services, contact with foreign settlements and judge in some areas of maritime inquiries and judicial examinations—albeit never in the same cases as acting as police.[73][75]Kjerstin Askholt has been governor since 2015;[76] she is assisted by a staff of 26 professionals. The institution is subordinate to the Ministry of Justice and the Police, but reports to other ministries in matters within their portfolio.[77]
Upper part of the Longyear Valley, with the buildings of Sverdrupbyen to the left, Huset to the right and an aerial tramway in the background
Because of the special treaty status of Svalbard, Longyearbyen is subject to Norwegian legislation, but citizens of any signatory country may conduct commercial activities and live in town.[78] However, people without a source of income can be rejected by the governor.[79] The treaty limits Norway's right to collect taxes to that of financing services on Svalbard. Therefore, Longyearbyen has a lower income tax than mainland Norway, and there is no value added tax. The treaty has resulted in Longyearbyen being a demilitarized zone[78] and is not part of the European Economic Area nor the Schengen Area like the rest of Norway.[80]
Because of the town’s remoteness, there are laws in place that are found in few, if any, other places in the world. Notable examples of such laws include a ban on cats, a restriction on how much alcohol an individual can purchase on a monthly basis, and a requirement that any individuals venturing outside carry a rifle for protection against polar bears.[81][82] A popular claim made about the town is that it is illegal to die there but the wording in such a claim is misleading. While it is not actually illegal to die in Longyearbyen, there are no options for burial there and residents considered terminal are typically flown to Oslo to live out the remainder of their days. The decision to disallow burials came in 1950, when it was discovered that the bodies of residents who had died as a result of the 1918 flu pandemic had not begun to decompose. Today, scientists fear that the corpses, having been preserved by the permafrost in which they were buried, may still contain live strains of that same virus that killed 5% of the world's population in the 20th century.[83]
The community council runs a number of cultural activities, such as a cinema, a youth club, a library and a gallery.[84] The town's sports club is Svalbard Turn.[85] Svalbardhallen is an indoor sport centre that includes a multi-sport hall large enough for handball or three badminton courts, a shooting range and a 25-meter (82 ft) swimming pool.[42]Svalbard Church of the Church of Norway has the entire archipelago as its parish. The congregational hall is 126 m2 (1,360 sq ft) while the sitting room is 112 m2 (1,210 sq ft). The church is built in half-timber.[13]Svalbardposten is a weekly newspaper published on Friday. Printing takes place in Tromsø and the majority of subscribers live on the mainland. Icepeople, an alternative newspaper in English, is also published weekly.[26] There are two museums in town, Svalbard Museum[86] and the Spitsbergen Airship Museum.[87]Dark Season Blues has been held annually in October since 2003.[88] 20 residents of the town are members of the Liverbirds Svalbard and regularly meet in the Svalbar on match days during the winter months.
The only mining still taking place in Longyearbyen is at Mine 7, located 15 kilometers (9 mi) up Adventdalen. It produces 70,000 tonnes (69,000 long tons; 77,000 short tons) of coal annually, of which 25,000 tonnes (25,000 long tons; 28,000 short tons) is used to fuel Longyear Power Station, Norway's onlycoal-fueled power station.[89] Most of Store Norske's production is done at Sveagruva, located on Van Mijenfjorden, 60 kilometers (37 mi) south of Longyearbyen. No roads connect the communities;[90] instead, workers live in dormitories in Svea.[91] Seventy percent commute home to the mainland while thirty percent commute to Longyearbyen. Mining has not been profitable and Store Norske relies on state subsidies to retain production.[92]
The University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) has 350 students and a permanent faculty of 40 professors and assistants and 120 guest lecturers. UNIS does not offer degrees, but instead offers semester courses in biology, physics and geology. Student housing is located at Nybyen. The college is part of the 12,000 m2 (130,000 sq ft) Svalbard Science Centre, which also features the Norwegian Polar Institute, EISCAT and Svalbard Science Forum.[93] In 2006, about 9,000 research days were spent in Longyearbyen, most of which were by Norwegians. This made Longyearbyen the second-largest research outpost on Svalbard, marginally below Ny-Ålesund. In contrast, Longyearbyen has almost only Norwegian research, while Ny-Ålesund is roughly evenly split between Norwegian and foreign.[94]
Svalbard Satellite Station was built because of Longyearbyen's excellent location to download data from satellites in polar orbit. Located at Platåberget above Hotellneset, it was built as a cooperation between NASA and the Norwegian Space Centre, but has since 2001 been operated by Kongsberg Satellite Services.[95] EISCAT operates an incoherent scatter radar to study the northern lights.[49] The Svalbard Global Seed Vault, administered by the Global Crop Diversity Trust, is a secure underground facility capable of storing millions of crop seeds. The facility has been designed to protect against natural and human disasters, including global warming, floods and fires and nuclear holocaust. The site was chosen for a number of factors including its remoteness, sound geology and the ambient temperature of the permafrost.[96]
Longyearbyen is the centre of tourism on the archipelago, although most tourism is generated based on natural experiences rather than visiting the town itself. However, Longyearbyen does provide supplies, accommodation and several museums. In 2008, Longyearbyen experienced 89,000 guest-nights, up from 30,000 in 1995. The average guest stayed 2.2 nights and 60 percent of the capacity was used by tourists. About 40,000 tourists flew into Longyearbyen. Two-thirds of the tourists come from Norway. In 2007, the tourism industry had a revenue of NOK 291 million and produced 200 man-years.[97]
Longyearbyen has a road network stretching 50 kilometers (30 mi),[100] but the network does not extend to any other communities.[101] In 2008 there were 1,481 registered road vehicles and 49 percent of all households had a car.[100] Cars are registered with ZN on the registration plates.[39] There is a single workshop, Svalbard Auto, which is also a Toyota dealer.[102]
Snowmobiles are a popular mode of transport and there are more snowmobiles than residents. In 2008 there were registered 2,672 snowmobiles and 69 percent of households owned at least one.[100]Off-road motorized transport is prohibited on bare ground, but snowmobiles are used extensively during winter—both for commercial and recreational activities. Transport from Longyearbyen to Barentsburg (45 km or 28 mi) and Pyramiden (100 km or 62 mi) is possible by snowmobile by winter, or by ship all year round.[101]
Svalbard Airport, Longyear is located at Hotellneset, 3 kilometers (1.9 mi) northwest of town. It has a 2,483-meter (8,146 ft) long runway and is the only airport that is permitted to serve aircraft from off the archipelago.[103][104]Scandinavian Airlines operates daily flights to Oslo and Tromsø,[105] while there are irregular flights to Russia. Lufttransport operates regular charter services to Svea Airport and Ny-Ålesund Airport, Hamnerabben. Arktikugol operates helicopters to Barentsburg and Pyramiden.[104] There are two quays in Longyearbyen, one for export of coal and one for general goods.[106] From 1907 to 1987, the mining companies operated a network of aerial tramways to transport coal from the mines to the port.[6] In the years 1907/1908 the then worldwide leading German wire ropeways company Adolf Bleichert & Co. from Lipsia built a material cableway from mine 1 to the ship's loading station, which was later supplemented by a cableway to mine 2. The remains of these wire ropeways and later successors to other mines are still visible today.
Svalbard is a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean. Situated north of mainland Europe, it is about midway between continental Norway and the North Pole. The islands of the group range from 74° to 81° north latitude, and from 10° to 35° east longitude. The largest island is Spitsbergen, followed by Nordaustlandet and Edgeøya. Administratively, the archipelago is not part of any Norwegian county, but forms an unincorporated area administered by a governor appointed by the Norwegian government. Since 2002, Svalbard's main settlement, Longyearbyen, has had an elected local government, somewhat similar to mainland municipalities. Other settlements include the Russian mining community of Barentsburg, the research station of Ny-Ålesund, and the mining outpost of Sveagruva. Ny-Ålesund is the northernmost settlement in the world with a permanent civilian population. Other settlements are farther north, but are populated only by rotating groups of researchers.
Spitsbergen
Spitsbergen is the largest and only permanently populated island of the Svalbard archipelago in northern Norway. Constituting the westernmost bulk of the archipelago, it borders the Arctic Ocean, the Norwegian Sea, and the Greenland Sea. Spitsbergen covers an area of 37,673 km2 (14,546 sq mi), making it the largest island in Norway and the 36th-largest in the world. The administrative centre is Longyearbyen. Other settlements, in addition to research outposts, are the Russian mining community of Barentsburg, the research community of Ny-Ålesund, and the mining outpost of Sveagruva. Spitsbergen was covered in 21,977 km2 (8,485 sq mi) of ice in 1999, which was approximately 58.5% of the island's total area.
Ny-Ålesund
Ny-Ålesund is a research town in Oscar II Land on the island of Spitsbergen in Svalbard, Norway. It is situated on the Brøgger peninsula (Brøggerhalvøya) and on the shore of the bay of Kongsfjorden. The company town is owned and operated by Kings Bay, who provide facilities for permanent research institutes from ten countries. The town is ultimately owned by the Ministry of Trade and Industry and is not incorporated. Ny-Ålesund has an all-year permanent population of 30 to 35, with the summer population reaching 120. Its facilities include Ny-Ålesund Airport, Hamnerabben, Svalbard Rocket Range, a port and Ny-Ålesund Town and Mine Museum, as well as fifteen permanent research stations. It is the northernmost functional civilian settlement in the world.
Barentsburg
Barentsburg is the second-largest settlement on Svalbard, with about 500 inhabitants (2007), almost entirely Russians and Ukrainians. It is the site of the Barentsburg Pomor Museum.
Politics of Svalbard
Svalbard lies under the sovereignty of Norway, but the Svalbard Treaty places several restrictions. Norway cannot use the archipelago for warlike purposes, cannot discriminate economic activity based on nationality and is required to conserve the natural environment. Uniquely, Svalbard is an entirely visa-free zone. Everybody may live and work in Svalbard indefinitely regardless of country of citizenship. Svalbard Treaty grants treaty nationals equal right of abode as Norwegian nationals. Non-treaty nationals may live and work indefinitely visa-free as well. "Regulations concerning rejection and expulsion from Svalbard" is in force on non-discriminatory basis.
Svalbard Airport, Longyear
Svalbard Airport, Longyear is the main airport serving Svalbard in Norway. It is located 1.6 nautical miles (3 km) northwest of Longyearbyen, and is the northernmost airport in the world with scheduled public flights. The first airport near Longyearbyen was constructed during World War II. In 1959, it was first used for occasional flights, but could only be used a few months a year. Construction of the new airport at Hotellneset started in 1973, and the airport was opened on 2 September 1975. It is owned and operated by state-owned Avinor.
Ny-Ålesund Airport, Hamnerabben
Ny-Ålesund Airport, Hamnerabben is an airport serving the research community of Ny-Ålesund in Svalbard, Norway. The airport is owned by Kings Bay, who also owns the company town. The only flights available are to Svalbard Airport, Longyear, operated two to four times a week by Lufttransport using Dornier Do 228 aircraft. The services are organized as corporate charters and tickets are only available after permission from Kings Bay.
Svea Airport
Svea Airport is a private airport located in and serving the Sveagruva in Svalbard, Norway. The airport is owned and operated by Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani, who use the airport to transport their coal mining workers from the company town to Longyearbyen and Svalbard Airport, Longyear. The airport features a gravel runway measuring 800 by 30 meters. Flights are operated about thirty times per week by Lufttransport using their two Dornier Do 228.
Economy of Svalbard
The economy of Svalbard is dominated by coal mining, tourism and research. In 2007, there were 484 people working in the mining sector, 211 people working in the tourism sector and 111 people working in the education sector. The same year, mining gave a revenue of 2.008 billion kr, tourism NOK 317 million and research 142 million. In 2006, the average income for economically active people was NOK 494,700, or 23% higher than on the mainland. Almost all housing is owned by the various employers and institutions and rented to their employees; there are only a few privately owned houses, most of which are recreational cabins. Because of this, it is nearly impossible to live on Svalbard without working for an established institution. The Spitsbergen Treaty and Svalbard Act established Svalbard as an economic free zone and demilitarized zone in 1925.
Hotellneset
Hotellneset is a peninsula 1 to 2 kilometres north-west of Longyearbyen in Svalbard, Norway, sticking out into Adventfjorden. It is the location of Svalbard Airport, Longyear and the port for shipping of coal from Longyearbyen. Above Hotellneset is Platåberget, which is the location for Svalbard Satellite Station.
Transport in Svalbard
Svalbard, Norway, is a vast, very sparsely inhabited Arctic archipelago. With fewer than 3,000 inhabitants in four communities, plus some smaller meteorological and scientific outposts, there are no communities connected by road. Off-road motorized transport is prohibited on bare ground, but snowmobiles are used extensively during winter, both for commercial and recreational activities. Transport from Longyearbyen to Barentsburg and Pyramiden is possible by snowmobile at winter, or by ship all year round. Road systems exist within the communities of Longyearbyen, Barentsburg, Sveagruva and Ny-Ålesund. All settlements have ports and Longyearbyen has a bus system.
Nybyen
Nybyen is a small settlement located on the southern outskirts of Longyearbyen, on the island of Spitsbergen, in the Svalbard archipelago of Norway. The name is Norwegian and translates as The New Town.
Platåberget
Platåberget is a mountain in Nordenskiöld Land on the island of Spitsbergen in Svalbard, Norway. It is 464 meters (1,522 ft) tall and has a distinct plateau shape, for which it is named. It is bordered to the west by Bjørndalen, to the east by Blomsterdalen and to the north by Hotellneset and Adventfjorden.
The mountain a few kilometers from Longyearbyen and next to Svalbard Airport, Longyear. It is the site of Svalbard Satellite Station and Svalbard Global Seed Vault.
Longyear Valley
The Longyear Valley is a valley and ravine located in Svalbard, Norway. It runs up as a side valley of Adventfjorden, a bay of the island of Spitsbergen. The Longyear Valley is located between the mountains of Platåberget and Gruvefjellet. The town of Longyearbyen is located in the lower portions of the valley, which is named for the American industrialist John Munroe Longyear. The Longyear River runs through the valley.
Longyear River
The Longyear River is a river which runs through the Longyear Valley, passing through the town of Longyearbyen and draining into Adventfjorden on the island of Spitsbergen in Svalbard, Norway. It is named for the American industrialist John Munroe Longyear.
Longyearbyen School
Longyearbyen School is a combined primary and secondary school located in and serving Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Norway. The school has about 270 pupils and 45 teachers. It is the northernmost school in the world.
Adventtoppen
Adventtoppen is a mountain on the east side of Adventfjorden in the northern part of Nordenskiöld Land on the island of Spitsbergen in Svalbard, Norway. It is 786 metres (2,579 ft) tall.
In 1901, Bergen-Spitsbergen Kullgrube-kompani started mining coal in Adventtoppen. During their first summer season, they mined 5 tonnes. They lived on board their ship and freighted the coal with a row-boat. In 1903, they produced 40 tonnes. The mountain was first ascended by A. Hoel in 1916. It was ascended again by W. Solheim and M. Abrahamsen on 23 July 1922 for triangulation and photgrammetric work.
Agriculture in Svalbard
Agriculture in Svalbard – the world's northernmost – has a short history, and remains a minor economic factor, but has nonetheless had a culturally and socially significant role, as well as an ecologic impact. Svalbard is also home to the Global Seed Vault, which serves to protect the world's biological and agricultural diversity.
Polar Permaculture Solutions, AS was formed in January 2015. Polar Permaculture has been focused on producing locally grown food in town, and also with composting food waste.
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