What is unique about Svalbard?
It became nearly impossible to hold onto any sense of time. In the summer, it’s the polar opposite. The sun never budges even an inch across the horizon and hangs in the sky all night long for months at a time.
What do you call people who live in Svalbard?
Apart from Longyearbyen, other settlements include the Russian mining community of Barentsburg, the research station of Ny-Ålesund, and the mining outpost of Sveagruva….
| Svalbard | |
|---|---|
| Official languages | Norwegian |
| Ethnic groups (2019) | 56.9% Norwegian 43.1% other |
Why is Svalbard important?
Svalbard, a High-Arctic archipelago over which Norway practises sovereignty in accordance with the terms of the Svalbard Treaty, has become an increasingly important area for Arctic research and higher education.
Does Svalbard have Internet?
Believe it or not, Svalbard, Norway has famously reliable internet — and has since 2003. The remote arctic archipelago sits almost 2,000km away from the mainland, at about 80˚N, but its nearly 3,000 residents have surfed the web for years, thanks to a network of fiber-optic cables that cover the distance underwater.
Is giving birth in Svalbard illegal?
You cannot give birth on Svalbard. Just as you can’t die, you can’t be born on Svalbard either. When a pregnant women has a few weeks remaining before her due date, she must travel to the mainland to give birth.
Can I buy a house in Svalbard?
Housing and work The Norwegian state owns practically all land in Svalbard and in practice it is not possible to buy a plot for building your own home. Some private housing has been built on rented land. This housing has been sold or rented out to private individuals in Longyearbyen.
Can I live in Svalbard?
Everybody may live and work in Svalbard indefinitely regardless of country of citizenship. The Svalbard Treaty grants treaty nationals equal right of abode as Norwegian nationals. Non-treaty nationals may live and work indefinitely visa-free as well.