The approximately 2,500 inhabitants of Longyearbyen so far had been spared from COVID itself. But the impact of the measures to protect the population has hit the economy hard. Picture: Michael Wenger The Svalbard archipelago, with its main town Longyearbyen, is the...
UPDATE: The polar bear’s autopsy has been completed. According to the authorities, the male animal, which was about 6 years old, weighed only 231 kilograms, as Svalbardposten reports. This is too little at this time of year for a polar bear of this age. As a...
Just opposite the main town of Longyearbyen lies the Austre Adventfjord. This area had been bought by the Norwegian state in 2017 so that the owner would not sell it to foreign nations. But the state failed to secure resource extraction rights as well. Picture:...
On Svalbard, the different admin departments like environment, security or tourism are under the control of the Sysselmannen. Therefore, the title is not reserved for one person only, but designates the entire administrative unit. It is housed in a striking building,...
Among the properties owned by Hurtigruten Svalbard is the Radisson Blu Polar Spitsbergen, the largest 128-room hotel in Longyearbyen. Hurtigruten had recently modernised and expanded the hotel to meet the growing number of tourists. But that was before COVID. Picture:...