The
Svalbard Islands are located in the Arctic Ocean, halfway between Norway and
the North Pole. It is one of the few islands with untouched arctic wilderness
and with unique wildlife, and this is both rugged and fragile at the same time.
The beauty of this Island is mainly due
to rich wildlife, arctic nature and old mining towns.
The
word “Svalbard” means cold coasts and it was
first mentioned in Icelandic texts in the 12th
century. The island is home to few thousand
polar bears, 3000 human inhabitants of which 2000 live in Longyearbyen, the administrative centre and the largest settlement of the
islands. It is the world’s northernmost
city based for tourism in Svalbard.
The
sustainable destination is a quality label for destinations in Norway. This
prestigious certification is a seal of approval given to destinations that work
systematically to reduce the negative impact of tourism.
Sustainable
tourism involves taking care of nature, culture and the environment, to
strengthen the social values and being financially viable. It is basically a
platform for committed cooperation and development among the resident, businesses,
guests and the tourist in preserving the nature and animal life.
Since
2016, Svalbard and Longyearbyen have been on the prestigious list of
Sustainable Destinations.
The climate of
Svalbard: Despite staying closer to the North
Pole, Svalbard experiences relatively a mild climate.
The temperature ranges from -20 degrees to -30 degrees in winter and
periods of fog with 3-5 degree temperature in summer.
In
Svalbard Longyearbyen, the average temperature ranges from -14degrees during
winter to 6 degrees during summer.
Svalbard
Longyearbyen is a small coal-mining town, known for its views of the
Northern Lights. The city hosts Svalbard’s
Modern Museum chronicles the regions’ natural and cultural history. The city
has numerous tourist attractions which include camping, bird watching and it is
a home for stuffed polar bears, Arctic fox, Reindeers and some live bears.
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