The Svalbard archipelago constitutes the northernmost part of Norway between North Norway and the North Pole. The location of the islands ranges between 74 to 81 degrees north. Spitsbergen is the largest island and Longyearbyen is the administrative center. The archipelago features an Arctic climate, and offers a great destination for your holidays.
Sixty percent of the archipelago is glacier, and the islands feature many mountains and fjords. Seven national parks and twenty-three nature reserves cover two-thirds of the archipelago, protecting the largely untouched, yet fragile, nature.Svalbard is a breeding ground for many seabirds, and also features polar bears, reindeer and marine mammals.
Svalbard Reiseliv AS is a destination company located in Svalbard. Svalbard Reiseliv is responsible for the general marketing of the archipelago, including the production and distribution of tourist information materials and the operation of tourist information services throughout the year. In addition, they offer tourism statistics and assistance with the facilitation of various types of projects for the archipelago. Svalbard Reiseliv AS coordinates initiatives focused on the environment, safety and skills upgrading.
The winter season ( November/December- May ) offers many possibilities. Some travellers dream of reaching Svalbard's tallest mountain peaks by ski, whereas others prefer to experience the winter landscape by dog sledge or snow scooter. On Svalbard it is easy to feel engulfed by the sense of infinity and the raw nature.
During the summer and autumn ( June- September )it is possible to combine hikes with boat transportation or cruises.The experience of a summer on Svalbard is guaranteed to be enhanced if you sit down in the slope underneath a bustling bird mountain, camp along tall mountains and mighty glaciers.
Here are some resources on Svalbard
- Wikipedia on Svalbard
- The Governor of Svalbard
- Longyearbyen Homepage
- Svalbard life (Youtube)
- Maps on Svalbard
- Kjell Henriksen Observatory
- Hurtigruten - Spitsbergen
The Norway Post (Photos Svalbard Reiseliv)
This year it is five years since the first boxes of seeds from food crops were carried into the Svalbard Global Seed Vault (photo). Today, more than 770,000 different seed samples are deposited in the Arctic vault for long-term storage.
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Odd Reidar Humlegård (51) was announced the new police director on Friday, for a period of six years.
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The age of the Polar bear is coming to an end ! In 20 years, it will probably be extinct from the polar areas, according to a number of Scientists, and in 30 years, - maybe also from the Zoo's.
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Monday, it was 50 years since 21 miners were killed in an explosion in the Kings Bay coal mine on the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard on November 5th 1962.
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Sunday's nationwide NRK TV telethon in support of Amnesty International had by Monday morning netted more than NOK 200 million.
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“The Government will in 2013 give priority to increasing our knowledge of the High North, as well as to strengthening Norway’s activities and presence in the region,” says Minister of Foreign Affairs Espen Barth Eide.
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Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT) is awarded a contract to provide ground station services to serve the next generation weather satellites developed by USA's National Space and Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA).
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The Norwegian space research program is celebrating its 50th anniversary this weekend. The first research rocket was launched from the Andøya Rocket Range on August 18th 1962.
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The Norwegian Sabvabaa hovercraft has begun a research mission from Svalbard to the North Pole. The Fram 2012 expedition is the first – and northernmost – polar expedition ever undertaken with such a vessel.
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U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has arrived in Oslo, on her first trip to Norway as U.S. Secretary of State. In addition to Oslo, she will also visit Tromsø in northern Norway.
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This summer, a hovercraft will embark upon a research voyage from Svalbard to the North Pole. This will be the first and the northernmost polar expedition undertaken with such a vessel.
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