Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Geography & Climate
Svalbard's vital statistics are suitably impressive: 13% vegetation, 27% barren stone and
an astonishing 60% glacier. Svalbard's latitude ranges from 74°N at Bjørnøya in the south
to over 80°N on northern Spitsbergen and Nordaustlandet.
The archipelago is about the size of Ireland and consists mainly of glaciated and eroded
sedimentary layers that were deposited beneath the sea up to 1.2 billion years ago. It's dif-
ficult to imagine but between 300 million and 60 million years ago, Svalbard was lush and
tropical. Rich layers of organic matter built up on the surface, then metamorphosed under
great heat and pressure into coal. Continental drift shifted it to its present polar location,
and most present-day landforms were created during the ice ages of the past two million
years. Its highest points are Newtontoppen (1713m) and Perriertoppen (1712m).
Most of Svalbard's glaciers are retreating: Austre Brøggerbreen has lost almost 16m
since 1977, while Midre Lovenbreen (12.3m) isn't far behind.
The archipelago enjoys a brisk polar-desert climate, with only 200mm to 300mm of pre-
cipitation annually. Although the west coast remains ice-free for most of the summer, pack
ice hovers just north of the main island year-round. Snow and frost are possible at any
time of year; the mean annual temperature is -4°C, and in July it's only 6°C. On occasion,
however,youmayexperiencetemperaturesofupto20°C.InJanuarythemeantemperature
is -16°C, but temperatures of -30°C aren't uncommon.
In Longyearbyen the midnight sun lasts from 19 April to 23 August, while it never even
peeks above the horizon between 28 October and 14 February.
POLAR BEARS UNDER THREAT
Polar bears are one of the most enduring symbols of the Arctic wilderness - loners,
immensely strong and survivors in one of the world's most extreme environments.
But for all the bears' raw power, some scientists predict that they could be extinct by
the end of this century if the world continues to heat up.
Polar bear numbers had been in decline since the late 19th century, when intensive
hunting began. But ever since the 1973 treaty for the Conservation of Polar Bears
and their Habitat, signed by all the countries whose lands impinge upon the Arctic,
polar bear numbers have been gradually increasing again and latest estimates suggest
that there are between 20,000 and 25,000 left in the wild; Svalbard has a population
of between 3000 and 3500.
