Svalbard Travel Guide Spitsbergen

Information about the Svalbard archipelago

• location: Svalbard is a group of islands in the Arctic Ocean. It lies roughly halfway between Norway and the North Pole, with mainland Norway approximately a thousand kilometers further south and the geographic North Pole approximately a thousand kilometers further northeast. It is also interesting to know that Svalbard is geographically part of the High Arctic. AgeTM has the Arctic Archipelago with the Expedition ship Sea Spirit .

• islands: Svalbard consists of numerous islands and islets: the five largest islands are Spitsbergen, Nordaustlandet, Edgeøya, Barentsøya and Kvitøya. The strait between the main island of Spitsbergen and the second largest island Nordaustlandet is called Hinlopen Strait.

• Management: Svalbard is governed by the Svalbard Treaty of 1920 and is administered by Norway. At the same time, however, it includes a broad international community of contractual partners. For example, the treaty stipulates that all contracting parties have equal rights to economic activities in the region and that Svalbard should be used for peaceful purposes. The archipelago therefore enjoys a special status with extensive autonomy.

• Research, Mining and whaling: Svalbard's history is characterized by hunting, whaling and mining activities. Coal mining is still carried out in Spitsbergen today. But research also plays an important role in the Svalbard Archipelago, especially in the areas of climate research and polar studies. In ny-Ålesund There is a research center with scientists from many nations around the world. The Svalbard Global Seed Vault, considered a modern-day Noah's Ark for plants, is also located in Svalbard, very close to the largest settlement Longyearbyen. The former research station Kinnvika on the island of Nordaustlandet can be visited as a lost place.

Information about the main island of Spitsbergen

• Spitsbergen: The Spitsbergen Island is the largest island in the Svalbard archipelago and a popular destination for naturalists and adventurers. The largest airport is in Longyearbyen. Spitsbergen was the starting point of many polar expeditions. The best example is Roald Amundsen, who traveled from Svalbard to the North Pole by airship. Today Svalbard is a popular holiday destination for tourists who want to see glaciers and polar bears.

• Capital: The largest settlement on Svalbard is Longyearbyen, which is considered the "capital" of Svalbard and the "northernmost city in the world". Most of Svalbard's approximately 2.700 residents live here. Svalbard residents enjoy some special rights, such as tax exemption and the ability to live and work in the region without a visa or work permit.

• Tourism: In recent years, tourism in Svalbard has increased as more travelers want to experience the unique Arctic landscape and wildlife. For all tourists, the journey begins in Longyearbyen on the main island of Spitsbergen. Popular activities include snowmobiling, dog sledding and snowshoeing in the winter and Zodiac tours, hiking and wildlife viewing in the summer. A longer cruise gives you the best chance of seeing polar bears.

Information about nature and wildlife

• Climate & Environment: Svalbard has an arctic climate with extremely cold winters and cool summers. Temperatures can drop as low as -30 degrees Celsius in winter. In recent years, however, climate change has become extremely noticeable.

• Glacier: Svalbard is covered by numerous glaciers. Austfonna is the largest ice cap in Europe, covering an area of ​​approximately 8.492 square kilometers.

• midnight sun & polar night: Due to its location, you can experience the midnight sun in Svalbard in summer: then the sun shines 24 hours a day. In winter, however, there is a polar night.

• Arctic animals: Svalbard is known for its rich wildlife, including polar bears, reindeer, arctic foxes, walruses and numerous bird species. Polar bears are the kings of the Arctic and can be spotted in the Svalbard Archipelago and observed from a safe distance.

Please note that Svalbard is a unique and challenging destination that requires careful planning due to its extreme conditions and remoteness. It is important to follow local regulations and safety guidelines, especially regarding encounters with wild animals such as polar bears.