Spitzbergen Attractions
The Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, centered on the main island of Spitzbergen (Spitsbergen), lies between the 74th and 81st parallels, some 700km/435mi north of the North Cape and 1,300km/810mi from the North Pole. With a total area of 62,700sq.km/24,200sq.mi, it has a population of only 3,700, who live in five settlements on the main island.
The main island, Spitzbergen (area 39,000sq.km/15,000sq.mi), is broken up by fjords cutting deep inland. To the northeast, separated from the main island by the Hinlopen Strait (usually ice-bound), is Nordaustland (North-East Land; 15,000sq.km/5,800sq.mi), which is almost completely covered by glaciers. To the southeast are Edgeøy (Edge Island; 5,000sq.km/1,930sq.mi) and Barentsøy (Barents Island; 1,300sq.km/500sq.mi). Farther south are the long, narrow island of Hopen and Bjørnøy (Bear Island), with meteorological stations.
History
Vikings found their way to the archipelago in 1194, reporting that they had found the "cold coast" ("Svalbardi fundinn"). Then 400 years later, in 1596, it was rediscovered by the Dutch navigator Willem Barents, who named it Spitzbergen after its prominent peak. Searching for the Northwest Passage to China, he found only an abundance of seals and whales on the edge of the permanent ice cap. Soon afterwards the whaling settlement of Smeerenburg ("Blubber Town") was established on a flat peninsula on Amsterdamøy (Amsterdam Island), in the far northwest of Spitzbergen; but the whaling era lasted only a few decades, the whales and seals having been exterminated.
Thereafter, for many years, Spitzbergen was left to itself. During the 18th and 19th centuries a few Russian monks lived a hermit's life as fur-trappers. Towards the end of the 19th century Nansen's polar expeditions stimulated interest in the islands, and in 1899 a Norwegian seafarer named Søren Zachariassen discovered rich deposits of coal. In 1906 the first coal-mine on Spitzbergen was established by an American millionaire named Longyear, and the settlement which he founded was called Longyear City. In 1916 the mines were taken over by the Norwegian mining company SNSK, and Longyear City became Longyearbyen.
Subsequently other mining settlements were established by the Russians (Grumant on the Isfjord), the Dutch (Barentsburg on the Grønfjord) and the Swedes (Svea on the Van-Mijenfjord). The rich deposits of high-grade coal which Spitzbergen was now found to possess brought to the fore the question of sovereignty over the islands, which had not hitherto been settled; and in 1925, under the treaty of Sèvres, they were assigned to Norway, on condition that it would permit all the signatory states to carry on economic activities on an equal basis and would keep the islands permanently demilitarized.
Most of the mines were closed down during the great depression, and there now remain on Spitzbergen only the three Norwegian settlements of Longyearbyen (pop. 1,700), Ny Ålesund (pop. 70) - the world's most northerly settlement - and Sveagruva (pop. 30) and the two Russian settlements of Barentsburg (pop. 1,400) and Pyramiden (now a ghost town). The Norwegians and the Russians each produce around 250,000 tons of coal a year. High transport costs mean that the mines can be worked only with considerable subsidies; but in spite of the political thaw between East and West neither country seems willing to leave the other in sole possession.
Geology
Svalbard displays a very varied geological pattern, ranging from the Pre-Cambrian granite peaks in the northwest by way of the Carboniferous coal measures to the younger rocks of the Tertiary era in the center of the main island. Fossils dating back some 120million years show that at an early stage in the history of the earth this was a region of subtropical climate which moved steadily farther north as a result of continental drift.
Although Svalbard lies in the Arctic region its average temperatures, particularly on the west coast and in winter, are much higher than at other places in the same latitude. But even so average winter temperatures lie between -8° and -16°C (+18° and +3°F), rather lower in the north and east. The lowest-ever temperature, recorded in 1917, was -49°C (-56°F). Temperatures in July and August rise to an average of 5°C (41°F), the highest recorded being 22°C (72°F); but there may be frost and snow at any time of year. Offshoots of the Gulf Streambring higher temperatures along the west coast and ice-free waters between June and December.
Almost the whole of the east coast - like two-thirds of Spitzbergen - is covered with glaciers. Only in the central areas with their arid Arctic climate (annual precipitation only about 300mm/12in.) are there glacier-free zones of any size. The proximity of the sea leads to frequent fog; the sky is usually overcast but the weather dry. At Longyearbyen the midnight sun is visible from April 19 to August 24, while the Arctic night lasts from October 27 to February 15.
Flora and fauna
The Arctic flora comprises some 140 different species, including low-growing flowering plants, ferns, mosses and lichens. The fauna includes some 30 species of seabirds, seals, polar bears, reindeer and Arctic foxes. Since 1973 the polar bear has been fully protected, and there are now estimated to be a few thousand of them, living mainly on the ice-covered east coast. There is always the possibility, even in summer, of encountering a polar bear on the west coast, and since they are extremely aggressive when hungry and may attack without warning visitors are advised to carry a rifle when outside the settlements.
The main island, Spitzbergen (area 39,000sq.km/15,000sq.mi), is broken up by fjords cutting deep inland. To the northeast, separated from the main island by the Hinlopen Strait (usually ice-bound), is Nordaustland (North-East Land; 15,000sq.km/5,800sq.mi), which is almost completely covered by glaciers. To the southeast are Edgeøy (Edge Island; 5,000sq.km/1,930sq.mi) and Barentsøy (Barents Island; 1,300sq.km/500sq.mi). Farther south are the long, narrow island of Hopen and Bjørnøy (Bear Island), with meteorological stations.
History
Vikings found their way to the archipelago in 1194, reporting that they had found the "cold coast" ("Svalbardi fundinn"). Then 400 years later, in 1596, it was rediscovered by the Dutch navigator Willem Barents, who named it Spitzbergen after its prominent peak. Searching for the Northwest Passage to China, he found only an abundance of seals and whales on the edge of the permanent ice cap. Soon afterwards the whaling settlement of Smeerenburg ("Blubber Town") was established on a flat peninsula on Amsterdamøy (Amsterdam Island), in the far northwest of Spitzbergen; but the whaling era lasted only a few decades, the whales and seals having been exterminated.
Thereafter, for many years, Spitzbergen was left to itself. During the 18th and 19th centuries a few Russian monks lived a hermit's life as fur-trappers. Towards the end of the 19th century Nansen's polar expeditions stimulated interest in the islands, and in 1899 a Norwegian seafarer named Søren Zachariassen discovered rich deposits of coal. In 1906 the first coal-mine on Spitzbergen was established by an American millionaire named Longyear, and the settlement which he founded was called Longyear City. In 1916 the mines were taken over by the Norwegian mining company SNSK, and Longyear City became Longyearbyen.
Subsequently other mining settlements were established by the Russians (Grumant on the Isfjord), the Dutch (Barentsburg on the Grønfjord) and the Swedes (Svea on the Van-Mijenfjord). The rich deposits of high-grade coal which Spitzbergen was now found to possess brought to the fore the question of sovereignty over the islands, which had not hitherto been settled; and in 1925, under the treaty of Sèvres, they were assigned to Norway, on condition that it would permit all the signatory states to carry on economic activities on an equal basis and would keep the islands permanently demilitarized.
Most of the mines were closed down during the great depression, and there now remain on Spitzbergen only the three Norwegian settlements of Longyearbyen (pop. 1,700), Ny Ålesund (pop. 70) - the world's most northerly settlement - and Sveagruva (pop. 30) and the two Russian settlements of Barentsburg (pop. 1,400) and Pyramiden (now a ghost town). The Norwegians and the Russians each produce around 250,000 tons of coal a year. High transport costs mean that the mines can be worked only with considerable subsidies; but in spite of the political thaw between East and West neither country seems willing to leave the other in sole possession.
Geology
Svalbard displays a very varied geological pattern, ranging from the Pre-Cambrian granite peaks in the northwest by way of the Carboniferous coal measures to the younger rocks of the Tertiary era in the center of the main island. Fossils dating back some 120million years show that at an early stage in the history of the earth this was a region of subtropical climate which moved steadily farther north as a result of continental drift.
Although Svalbard lies in the Arctic region its average temperatures, particularly on the west coast and in winter, are much higher than at other places in the same latitude. But even so average winter temperatures lie between -8° and -16°C (+18° and +3°F), rather lower in the north and east. The lowest-ever temperature, recorded in 1917, was -49°C (-56°F). Temperatures in July and August rise to an average of 5°C (41°F), the highest recorded being 22°C (72°F); but there may be frost and snow at any time of year. Offshoots of the Gulf Streambring higher temperatures along the west coast and ice-free waters between June and December.
Almost the whole of the east coast - like two-thirds of Spitzbergen - is covered with glaciers. Only in the central areas with their arid Arctic climate (annual precipitation only about 300mm/12in.) are there glacier-free zones of any size. The proximity of the sea leads to frequent fog; the sky is usually overcast but the weather dry. At Longyearbyen the midnight sun is visible from April 19 to August 24, while the Arctic night lasts from October 27 to February 15.
Flora and fauna
The Arctic flora comprises some 140 different species, including low-growing flowering plants, ferns, mosses and lichens. The fauna includes some 30 species of seabirds, seals, polar bears, reindeer and Arctic foxes. Since 1973 the polar bear has been fully protected, and there are now estimated to be a few thousand of them, living mainly on the ice-covered east coast. There is always the possibility, even in summer, of encountering a polar bear on the west coast, and since they are extremely aggressive when hungry and may attack without warning visitors are advised to carry a rifle when outside the settlements.
Isfjord
Some 50km/30mi north of the wide Bellsund is the Isfjord (100km/60mi long including its branches), which cuts more than halfway across the island of Spitzbergen. While the north side is partly covered by glaciers, the south side falls down to the fjord in steep-sided tabular hills. In this fjord are the two principal settlements on the island, Longyearbyen on Advent Bay and Barentsburg on the Grønfjord.
Hornsund
Cruise ships usually sail only along the west side of the archipelago. After rounding the South Cape (Sørkapp) of Spitzbergen the ship passes the 15km/9mi-wide Hornsund, which even in summer is often covered with thick drift ice. Above its coasts rise Alpine peaks (Hornsundtind, 1,431m/4,695ft) and mighty pinnacles (Sofiekammen, 925m/3,035ft).
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Svalbard - Accommodation
Spitzbergen has no tourist infrastructure in the ordinary sense, such as hotels or roads between the settlements on the island. The only facilities offered to visitors are the camping site at the airport and the modest (and expensive) accommodation provided by SNSK (the local coal-mining company) in the Nybyen district of Longyearbyen.
Visitors must therefore be equipped to look after themselves (tent, sleeping bag, etc.). They should also bring sufficient food with them, particularly if they want to do some walking. The few shops in Longyearbyen cater for the needs of the local population - whose main requirements, however, are supplied by the mining company. Guns and ammunition may be brought in by visitors who have a gun license. Live animals may not be brought in because of the danger of rabies.
Visitors who intend to undertake walks of any length on the island are strongly recommended to carry a gun (for protection against polar bears), and they must inform the Governor's office before setting out and on their return. Under a new law which came into force at the beginning of 1992 any walking tour outside the settlements requires an authorization from the Governor (Sysselmann) of Spitzbergen, who (depending on the applicant's experience, equipment and proposed route) may impose restrictions, refuse permission or ask for an assurance of reimbursement of the cost of a possible search and rescue operation - a regulation made necessary by experience with thoughtless or inadequately equipped visitors in the past.
Visitors must therefore be equipped to look after themselves (tent, sleeping bag, etc.). They should also bring sufficient food with them, particularly if they want to do some walking. The few shops in Longyearbyen cater for the needs of the local population - whose main requirements, however, are supplied by the mining company. Guns and ammunition may be brought in by visitors who have a gun license. Live animals may not be brought in because of the danger of rabies.
Visitors who intend to undertake walks of any length on the island are strongly recommended to carry a gun (for protection against polar bears), and they must inform the Governor's office before setting out and on their return. Under a new law which came into force at the beginning of 1992 any walking tour outside the settlements requires an authorization from the Governor (Sysselmann) of Spitzbergen, who (depending on the applicant's experience, equipment and proposed route) may impose restrictions, refuse permission or ask for an assurance of reimbursement of the cost of a possible search and rescue operation - a regulation made necessary by experience with thoughtless or inadequately equipped visitors in the past.
Svalbard - Cruises
During the summer cruise ships sail along the ice-free west coast of Spitzbergen with its magnificent backdrop of fjord scenery. The regular service formerly provided by ships of the Hurtigrute in summer came to an end when the airport was opened. There are no local boat services, though there may sometimes be spare places on boats chartered by tour operators, and motorboat cruises are run in the Isfjord if there is sufficient demand.
Svalbard - Nature Reserves
In recent years 27,000sq.km/10,400sq.mi (44% of Svalbard's total area) have been declared nature reserves. There are now three National Parks (South Spitzbergen, Forlandet and Northwestern Spitzbergen), two nature reserves, three plant reserves and 15 bird reserves. The extreme climatic conditions mean that rubbish thrown away may not decompose for many years. In order to avoid upsetting the delicate ecological balance, therefore, visitors should be sure to take their litter away with them.
Svalbard Airport
The opening of the Svalbard Airport at Longyearbyen, the chief place on Spitzbergen, in 1975 ended the islanders' isolation during the winter. There are now three or four flights weekly from Tromsø, as well as direct flights from Oslo and increasing numbers of charter flights. Twice monthly, too, there are scheduled flights from Moscow via Murmansk.
Woodfjord Wijdefjord
On the north coast of Spitzbergen, which has few glaciers, are two long fjords, the Woodfjord and the Wijdefjord (100km/60mi long), at the head of which are the two highest peaks in Svalbard, Newtontoppen and Perriertoppen, each 1,717m/5,633ft high.
