--- title: Svalbard description: THe northernmost territory in the world layout: default icon: ac_unit ---
# Svalbard, Norway ## Background * Northernmost territory in the world * 60% glaciers * 40% tundra * 5 main islands (largest is Spitzbergen) * Population of 2700 * More snowmobiles than people ## Opportunities * Coal mining * 300 jobs in coal mines * Backbone of economy * Energy devlopment * Located near Mid-Atlantic Ridge - thin & hot rocks * Potential for geothermal energy to replace polluting coal power station * Or replace water in power station with CO2 * Fishing * Barents Sea (South of Svalbard) is one of the richest fishing grounds in the world * 150 species of fish - conservation is vital * Tourism * 70,000 people visited Longyearbyen in 2011 * Port was expanded to cope with tourist numbers * 300 jobs in tourism * Northen lights, natural environment and adventures attract tourists ## Challenges * Extreme temperatures * Sometimes below -30°C * But wear warm clothes * Construction * Permafrost has to be protected from melting before foundations can be dug * Difficult to build in the cold and the long dark periods - so most work is done in the summer * However, road maintenance is relatively easy * Services * Pipes and cables must be kept off the ground, to ensure they don't freeze * Accessibility * Limited transport * Islands can only be accessed by plane or ship * Only 50 km of roads in Longyearbyen * But there is an international airport * And snowmobiles can be used to travel around