Travel Guide Longyearbyen

Longyearbyen is the administrative center of Spitsbergen and forms the extreme limit of civilization in the northern hemisphere. Most of the inhabitants don't live here permanently, but work during the winter for Det Store Norske (Norway's major coal mining company) on annual contracts - at a highly valued salary - and keep their main home on the mainland. However, a number of them discover a way of living closer to nature in Svalbard, and settle there with their families for years. Scientists are researching the ozone hole and Arctic flora and fauna. To these people must be added "extreme" tourism, which is developing quite strongly. Formerly a traditional village, Longyearbyen has over the years become a modern town, home to a host of businesses and industries. The airport opened here in 1975, linking the archipelago to the rest of the continent. Many will be surprised to learn that the city offers a wide range of cultural activities (including two very interesting museums). Of course, it's also the starting point for most of Svalbard's tourist attractions. For those who choose to stay a while, there are several bars and restaurants. The town's population has been growing for several years. As a result, it is modernizing and equipping itself with infrastructures that lend themselves to welcoming tourists. The town is home to miners, researchers, students and, increasingly, tourists looking for a unique experience. As a result, this former mining town is gradually becoming an ethnically diverse capital. More than 40 nations are represented here.