The Svalbard archipelago is located just a thousand kilometers from the North Pole. The Norwegians nicknamed him Svalbard, which means cold coast. This is the northernmost point where people live. There are very few of them here - about three thousand people, and the people here are as harsh as the nature of Svalbard.
The climate in Svalbard is arctic. In winter, the temperature drops to -20 ° C, and in summer it rises to + 6 ° C. However, due to the fact that the cold polar air meets the soft and humid sea air from the south, the weather here can change dramatically. Strong winds blow in winter, and fogs fall in summer. Despite this, the climate here is milder than in the 80s latitudes, due to the branch of the Gulf Stream, which washes the western coast of the archipelago.
The nature on the islands is almost pristine. It practically does not experience human influence - almost 60% of the archipelago's area is occupied by nature reserves. Despite the fact that the glaciers of Svalbard are melting, they occupy almost half of the island's territory.
The Spitsbergen Islands are a haven for polar bears. They sometimes wander into villages in search of food, so it's best to move around the archipelago with a gun. Firearms can be bought or rented here.
You can travel around the islands by snowmobile or dog sledding.
In addition to polar bears, the only mammals on the islands are Svalbard reindeer and Arctic foxes. But there are plenty of sea animals and birds on the archipelago. The vegetation is tundra, however, despite the seeming scarcity, there are about 170 plant species.
The landscapes of Svalbard are unique and extremely picturesque - the shores of the archipelago are indented by straits and bays. The fjords are breathtaking, and the mysterious fogs that cover the islands will enchant anyone. Most of the archipelago is occupied by mountains with the highest point Newton (1713 m). The mountains on the islands are truly amazing, they seem to be in folds of fabric, in drapery. On the coastal slopes, such folded structures with layers of various rocks are especially clearly visible.
In the spring in the mountains you can see the so-called Broken ghost and the beautiful optical phenomenon "gloria", and in winter - the northern lights.
Spitsbergen: video
We invite you to take a short trip to Svalbard by watching this beautiful video.
