Is it safe to travel to Svalbard?

Biggest dangers on Svalbard The most common dangers on Svalbard include: Polar bears: There is a very real risk of running into one of Svalbard’s few thousand polar bears outside the settlements. Avalanches: Climate change is causing an increase in the number of avalanches throughout the archipelago.

Is Svalbard expensive?

Svalbard is the most expensive place we have visited. With a high cost of living and the fact that almost everything you see here was imported, you will absorb some of that expense in your trip costs. Svalbard is such a unique place and it’s worth spending the money to go out and explore it.

How do I move to Svalbard?

Moving to Svalbard Everyone who wants to move to Svalbard must have accommodation and studies or work arranged before they move there. People planning to live on Svalbard must register in the archipelago’s Population Register within 8 days of arrival.

Do they speak English in Svalbard?

The official language is Norwegian. However, nearly everyone speaks English. In Barentsburg Russian and Ukrainian are spoken.

How much is a beer in Svalbard?

Cost of Living in Longyearbyen

Why is Svalbard so cold?

The climate of Svalbard is principally a result of its latitude, which is between 74° and 81° north. The North Atlantic Current moderates Svalbard’s temperatures, particularly during winter, giving it up to 20 °C (36 °F) higher winter temperature than similar latitudes in continental Russia and Canada.

Are there hospitals on Svalbard?

Longyearbyen Hospital is a public hospital. Since the EEA rules do not apply to Svalbard, the European Health Insurance Card does not apply here. Everyone has to pay deductible for consultation at the hospital.

How long can I stay in Svalbard?

Everybody may live and work in Svalbard indefinitely regardless of country of citizenship. The Svalbard Treaty grants treaty nationals equal right of abode as Norwegian nationals. Non-treaty nationals may live and work indefinitely visa-free as well.

Where is Svalbard located in relation to Europe?

Svalbard ( / ˈsvɑːlbɑːr / SVAHL-bar, Urban East Norwegian: [ˈsvɑ̂ːɫbɑr] ( listen) ), previously known as Spitsbergen, or Spitzbergen, is a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean. Situated north of mainland Europe, it is about midway between the northern coast of Norway and the North Pole.

Which is the largest island in the Svalbard archipelago?

The largest island is Spitsbergen, followed by Nordaustlandet and Edgeøya, and the largest settlement is Longyearbyen. The islands were first used as a base by whalers who sailed far north in the 17th and 18th centuries, after which they were abandoned.

Who are the private owners of Svalbard archipelago?

The Norwegian state took possession of all unclaimed land, or 95.2% of the archipelago, at the time the Svalbard Treaty entered into force; Store Norske owns 4%, Arktikugol owns 0.4%, while other private owners hold 0.4%.

Which is the nearest airport to Svalbard in Norway?

Svalbard Airport, Longyear, located 3 kilometres (2 mi) from Longyearbyen, is the only airport offering air transport off the archipelago. Scandinavian Airlines has daily scheduled services to Tromsø and Oslo.