Svalbard

Svalbard is an is an archipelago in the Arctic, constituting the northernmost part of Norway. It is located about 400 miles north of mainland Europe, midway between mainland Norway and the North Pole. The archipelago features an Arctic climate, although with significantly higher temperatures than other areas at the same latitude. The flora take advantage of the long period of midnight sun to compensate for the polar night.

Svalbard is a breeding ground for many seabirds, and also features polar bears, reindeer and marine mammals. Seven national parks and twenty-three nature reserves cover two-thirds of the archipelago, protecting the largely untouched, yet fragile, environment. Sixty percent of the archipelago is glacier, and the islands feature many mountains and fjords.

Tourism in Svalbard is focused on the environment and is centered around Longyearbyen. Activities include hiking, kayaking, walks through glacier caves and snowmobile and dog-sled safari.

Things to See & Do

* Flora & fauna
* Magdalena Fjord
* Hiking
* Glacier Caves
* Dog-sled safari

General information

Cruise Season - May - Oct
Currency - Norwegian Krone (NOK)
Language - Norwegian
Population - 2,932 approx
Land Area - 61,022 sq km
Electricity - 2 round pins European style
Time - GMT plus one hour
International Country Telephone Code - +47

Transport Links - Svalbard Airport, Longyear serves as the main gateway to the rest of Europe. It is located 3 kilometres (2 mi) from Longyearbyen, is the only airport offering air transport off the archipelago. Scandinavian Airlines has daily scheduled services to Tromsr and Oslo; there are also irregular charter services to Russia.