Nobody is Born Here; Nobody Dies Here

by Maure Nava
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Svalbard Islands

A pregnant mother must travel to the mainland to give birth because this place has no maternity wards.

When near death, one must leave this place for the mainland because dead bodies cannot be buried on these islands because of permafrost. In fact, 60% of its land is covered in ice.

Svalbard is a group of islands in the Arctic North with no native people.

Svalbard
Svalbard is Spotted

Svalbard is not a country. It is technically an autonomous part of Norway. It was discovered by the Dutch and taken over by Norway and Russia, and has a coal mining history that started back in the 19th century.

Settlements of Svalbard

Svalbard is home to 9 islands and the four northernmost settlements globally. 

Barentsburg
View of Barentsburg settlement
  • Spitsbergen is the largest human population. 
  • Longyearbyen is the main settlement and the entry town, 800 miles away from the north pole. Interestingly, the Global Seed Vault is located here. 
  • Barentsburg is the Russian settlement in Svalbard. Russians and Ukrainian mining employees live here, and this town is entirely different from Norwegian Svalbard. 
  • Other settlements are abandoned and have research stations with limited access. 
Global Seed Vault
Global Seed Vault in Svalbard

Contented Climate

Spring falls between March and May; Summer falls between June and August; Winter swoops between October and February. 

The average temperatures range from -14c in the winter to + 6c in the summer. 

When October 26th rolls around in Longyearbyen, you’re not going to see the sun again until February 15th, and then it will come up on April 20th and stay in the sky until August 23rd. 

Snowmobiles in the winter and boats in summer, it’s quite a life in Svalbard.

Mighty Midnight Sun

Here, the sun doesn’t set between April 20th and August 22nd. Among other Norwegian places, the midnight sun occurs for the most prolonged period in Svalbard.  

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Astounding Northern Lights

Svalbard is one of the best places to experience the Northern Lights, and it is magnificent. Here is a glimpse of Svalbard and the phenomenal Northern lights.

View of Northern Lights in Svalbard
Holiday to Iceland

Wildlife at its best

Short summers and long winters show no kindness to any plant to grow. So there are no trees in Svalbard but moss and summer flowers.

Svalbard is more abundant with polar bears than humans. This is because they are legally protected all over Svalbard. It’s illegal to chase or even disturb them.

There are reindeer unique to Svalbard, arctic foxes, and some migratory birds in their rawest states. 

Svalbard Reindeer
Svalbard Reindeer

Meanwhile, we must know that Svalbard has the most potential to be changed and damaged by global warming. 

An Arctic Adventure, Anyone?

Has the thought of visiting the Arctic ever come across your mind? Nicely situated in the Arctic Ocean, Svalbard is a great place to start. 

It’s a perfect place to see glaciers and go for glacier hikes with unique sceneries. Boat and snowmobile trips are exciting. For those who love kayaking, Svalbard awaits.

The journey is challenging and pretty expensive. Yet, you will pause in awe at what Svalbard has to offer; quiet and natural pleasures!

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