Svalbard
A Fascinating Land of Evolving Histories
Svalbard was never inhabited by Indigenous people. Legendary Dutch explorer William Barentz was the first person to reach here in 1596 – and Dutch and English whalers came soon after, seeking their fortunes among the islands’ rich wildlife. Russian Pomors, Norwegians, Dutch, English, and Basque whalers, hunters, and trappers all had free rein until the establishment of Norwegian sovereignty in 1920 with the signature of the Svalbard Treaty.
Today, vast tracts of Svalbard are protected as Nature Reserves and National Parks, and all wildlife here is protected by law.
A Commercially-Driven History
Svalbard’s history is as rugged and remote as its Arctic landscape. The first recorded sighting of Svalbard dates back to 1596, when Dutch explorer Willem Barentsz stumbled upon the islands during a search for the Northeast Passage. He named the islands “Svalbard,” which means “cold coast” in Old Norse.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, Svalbard became a hub for whalers, particularly from the Netherlands and England, but by the 19th and 20th centuries, attention shifted from whaling to scientific exploration and resource extraction. Svalbard’s remote location and extreme climate made it an ideal site for scientific research, and the archipelago’s coal deposits attracted miners, leading to the establishment of settlements like Longyearbyen, still the largest community on the islands.
Today, Svalbard’s history remains etched into the landscape, and visitors can experience this history firsthand by exploring the old whaling stations, visiting coal mines, or simply walking through the streets of Longyearbyen.
A Fascinating Archipelago
The 20 major islands and the many small islets that comprise the archipelago of Svalbard total around 62,700km2 – slightly smaller than the Republic of Ireland. Spitsbergen (often used synonymously with Svalbard) and Nordaustlandet are the largest islands and, collectively, almost 60 % of the archipelago is covered by glaciers and around 10 % by tundra, with the rest consisting of cliffs, mountains, and bare rock. Geological evidence shows us that Svalbard was not always a cold, icebound realm. The oldest rocks on Svalbard were lifted out of the sea by tectonic collisions around 450 million years ago.
Population of Svalbard
The population in Svalbard is almost 3,000, of whom 70 % are Norwegians (mostly in Longyearbyen) and 30 % Russians or Ukrainians (mostly in the town of Barentsburg). In the very few other small towns, there are under 50 inhabitants. Longyearbyen serves as the de facto capital, housing the islands’ government and the majority of services.
Wildlife That Occupy Land, Sea, and Sky
Despite Svalbard’s remote location and freezing conditions, a few land mammals call this archipelago home, such as the Arctic fox, a keen hunter, and the diminutive Svalbard reindeer. Svalbard is known for its large polar bear population, estimated at around 3,000. These animals spend most of their time hunting on the sea ice, but they are also frequently seen along the coasts.
Svalbard is also an excellent spot for birdwatchers, and Svalbard’s waters are teeming with marine life, with walruses, seals, and whales commonly seen. In the summer months, large colonies of birds like the little auk and Brünnich’s guillemot nest on cliffs. The Arctic tern, known for its incredible migration from the Arctic to the Antarctic and back, also breeds here.
The Climate of Svalbard
The climate on Svalbard is dominated by its high Arctic latitude. While the last gasp of the Gulf Stream keeps the islands warmer than other areas at a similar latitude, this is strictly relative! Longyearbyen experiences average annual high temperatures around 46°F (8°C), and minimum temperatures around 5°F (-15°C).
The extreme northerly latitude of Svalbard means the islands experience midnight sun from April to August, and polar night from November to February. This extreme annual variation means that in Spring and Autumn, sunrise and sunset times vary by up to 40 minutes per day!
Popular Expeditions to Svalbard
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