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I.C.E.-Partner
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International
Ice-Climate
Education 2007
Spitsbergen - Longyearbyen
In an historical sense, Spitsbergen
is the name for the main island Vestspitsbergen (West Spitsbergen)
as well as Nordaustlandet (North East Island), Edgeoya (Edge Island),
Barentsoya (Barent Island), Prinz-Karls-Forlandet (Prince Karl’s Land)
and the many neighbouring islands.
 The
island group has been known in all of Europe under the name Spitbergen
since it was discovered by the Dutchman Willem Barent. The original name
"Svalbard"
was known solely to a small circle of experts who dealt with old Icelandic
writings. The name originates from the language of the Vikings and means
“cold coast” or “cold edge”. It is not, however, clear if this meaning
refers to Spitbergen or to the pack ice edge, to Eastern Greenland or to
Jan Mayen.
In the last few years, the island has developed into a
"hot
spot"
in the area of problems dealing with the climate. Temperatures have been
measured here which were 13°C above the normal average. Scientists from
the European Space Agency (ESA) have even reported that an area of ice the
size of Great Britain had already opened up at the end of August. This is
a novelty in the field of climate observation.
The youth
camp will take place in Longyearbyen, the main city of the island.
The Advent Fjord has been used sporadically in the past centuries by
whale catchers and by Russian hunters. Exploration teams used the bay and
the peaks of the Nordenskiöldfjellet Mountains above to take readings as
early as 1837.
The American John Munro Longyear became interested in the area when
coal was found and he bought the coalfields, together with the Bostonian
businessman Frederick Ayer, from TheTrondhjem-Spitbergen Coal Company. In
the same year, the Americans annexed large areas of the south side of the
Ice Fjord between Sassendalen and Gronfjorden and began preparations for
mining in the Advent Fjord. In 1907 the first coal could be transported by
the company-owned freighter. The first mining phase and the development of
“Longyear City” lasted until 1910/1911.
Following rather
complicated negotiations, the company was sold to a Norwegian syndicate in
1916. The
town grew in the years to come – there were 500 people staying there
during the winter of 1925.
At present,
1,900 inhabitants live here on the 78th parallel. The
establishment of the UNIS (University Centre in Svalbard) has
helped to increase the number of young people, a segment of the population
which has been underrepresented until now. |
