remnants of an early mine. Man is a relative newcomer to this rugged bit of Norway, which at 78 degrees latitude is only 600 miles from the North Pole. Hunters and whalers have visited Svalbard since the 1600s, but it wasn’t until the early 1900s that coal and gold miners discovered it. Prospectors gave a Gold Rush atmosphere to it; it was said to “belong to no one and everyone.” Norway gained sovereignty to the area via the 1920 Svalbard Treaty, which granted the citizens of all parties to the treaty—a wide range of nations from Afghanistan to Japan to the USA—the right to come to Svalbard to work or acquire mineral rights. Because of the treaty’s liberal regulations, no tourist or resident visas are required, and there is an eclectic mix of 35 nationalities among the region’s populace, almost all of whom live in Longyearbyen. Coal is still being mined outside of town and is the biggest money earner, followed by tourism, which feeds off the few streets of neat, color- Tony Skarheim 60,000 visitors each year. ful, new-looking buildings, and Joakim Myrvang Summer activities include many of which boast work at the hillside hiking, regional boat trips, triple-glazed windows coal mine closest to town. kayaking, birdwatching to ward off the cold and are built on stilts to keep them from and even sledge trips (fitted out with sinking into the permafrost. It has wheels) pulled by rugged polar dogs. dropped to -46C in the winter. The More adventurous types visit during town, named for John Longyear, an the winter to go on guided ski, snowAmerican who helped develop coal mobile and multi-day dog-sledding mining here about 100 years ago, is excursions. Because of its extreme nature, tucked neatly into a steep glacial valley. High on the hillsides and dotted Longyearbyen is attracting more throughout town are wooden trestles; and more adventure travelers, few [[1L]] readersdigest.de XX/XX melted, ships disgorge thousands of tourists at the town pier here to explore tiny Longyearbyen before they continue their arctic cruise. Barlien and I soon arrive at Longyearbyen, which is comprised of a
Name tktktktktk and son Name tktktktkkt in front of the school (bear-proof fence behind)
Marthe Helli Sørli tends the stove at Basecamp Trappers Station, which is built to look like a trapper’s cabin.
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