Svalbard is an Arctic group of islands that is part of Norway. It is mostly uninhabited, with only about 3,000 people living there. However, it covers a large area of 61,020 square kilometres (23,560 sq mi).
Geology
Devonian rocks found on Svalbard were formed in tropical conditions and contain fossils of ancient lycopod forests. These forests helped absorb carbon dioxide, which contributed to lowering Earth's temperatures. Western Svalbard has high geothermal activity. Recently, scientists discovered a hot mantle plume located beneath this geothermal region.
Fauna
Besides humans, three land-based mammal species live on the islands: the Arctic fox, the Svalbard reindeer, and the southern vole, which is only found in Grumant. Trying to bring Arctic hares and muskoxen to the area did not work. There are between 15 and 20 types of marine mammals, including whales, dolphins, seals, walruses, and polar bears.
Polar bears are the most well-known symbol of Svalbard and a major attraction for visitors. Although polar bears are protected, people outside of towns must carry a rifle to defend themselves if a bear attacks. Svalbard and Franz Joseph Land share a group of about 3,000 polar bears, with Kong Karls Land being the most important place where they give birth. The Svalbard reindeer (R. tarandus platyrhynchus) is a unique type of reindeer. Though nearly gone before, hunting is allowed for both the reindeer and the Arctic fox. There are few domestic animals in Russian settlements.
About 30 types of birds live on Svalbard, most of which travel long distances. The Barents Sea is one of the places in the world with the most seabirds, with around 20 million during late summer. The most common birds include the little auk, northern fulmar, thick-billed murre, and black-legged kittiwake. Sixteen bird species are listed on the IUCN Red List. Important places for seabirds to breed include Bjørnøya, Storfjorden, Nordvest-Spitsbergen, and Hopen. The Arctic tern has the longest migration journey, traveling all the way to Antarctica. Only two songbirds, the snow bunting and the wheatear, travel to Svalbard to breed. Rock ptarmigans are the only birds that stay during winter. Fossils of a large Jurassic period sea reptile called Predator X have been found. It is the largest known marine reptile from the dinosaur era, and it was about 15 meters (49 feet) long.
Most freshwater lakes on the islands are home to Arctic char.
Flora
Svalbard has permafrost and tundra, with low, middle, and high Arctic vegetation. There are 165 plant species found on the archipelago. Vegetation only grows in areas that thaw during the summer, covering about 10% of the archipelago. The most vegetation is found in Nordenskiöld Land, near Isfjorden, and in areas affected by guano. Although there is little precipitation, giving the archipelago a steppe climate, plants still have access to water because the cold climate reduces evaporation. The growing season is very short, lasting only a few weeks. The Svalbard poppy (Papaver dahlianum) is the symbolic flower of Svalbard, but it is not native to the region. The specific epithets of Ranunculus × spitsbergensis, Saxifraga svalbardensis, and Potentilla × insularis reference the islands, with the latter two being native to Svalbard.
Preserved areas
There are 29 preserved natural areas, made up of seven national parks, six nature reserves, fifteen bird sanctuaries, and one geotope protected area. Human traces from before 1946 are automatically protected. These protected areas cover 39,800 square kilometers (15,400 square miles), which is 65% of the land, and 78,000 square kilometers (30,000 square miles), or 86.5% of the territorial waters. The largest protected areas are Nordaust-Svalbard Nature Reserve and Søraust-Svalbard Nature Reserve, which include most of the land east of the main island of Spitsbergen, such as the islands of Nordaustlandet, Edgeøya, Barentsøya, Kong Karls Land, and Kvitøya. All seven national parks are located on Spitsbergen. Ten bird sanctuaries and Moffen Nature Reserve are inside national parks, while five bird sanctuaries are Ramsar sites. Svalbard is on Norway’s list for possible nomination as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Norwegian Ministry of the Environment has the main responsibility for conservation. It has assigned the Governor of Svalbard and the Norwegian Directorate for Nature Management to manage these areas. The Svalbard Treaty of 1920 created the basis for conservation, and the Svalbard Environmental Act of 2001 added more details. The first major protection efforts began on July 1, 1973, when most of the current protected areas were established. This included the two large nature reserves and five of the national parks. Except for Moffen Nature Reserve, which was created in 1983, many new areas were protected between 2002 and 2005.
Climate
Svalbard's climate is mainly influenced by its high latitude. Summer temperatures average between 4 °C (39 °F) and 6 °C (43 °F), while January temperatures average between −12 °C (10 °F) and −16 °C (3 °F). The North Atlantic Current helps keep Svalbard's temperatures warmer, especially in winter, making its winter temperatures up to 20 °C (36 °F) higher than similar latitudes in Russia and Canada. This keeps nearby waters open and navigable most of the year. Interior areas, such as fjords and valleys, are sheltered by mountains and have smaller temperature differences compared to the coast. These areas experience about 2 °C (4 °F) lower summer temperatures and 3 °C (5 °F) higher winter temperatures. The southern part of Spitsbergen has slightly higher temperatures than the northern and western regions. In winter, the temperature difference between the south and north is typically 5 °C (9 °F), while in summer, it is about 3 °C (5 °F). Bear Island has average temperatures higher than the rest of the archipelago.
Svalbard is where cold polar air from the north meets mild, wet sea air from the south, causing low pressure, changing weather, and strong winds, especially in winter. In January, strong winds are recorded 17% of the time at Isfjord Radio, but only 1% of the time in July. In summer, fog is common away from land, with visibility under 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) recorded 20% of the time in July and 1% of the time in January at Hopen and Bjørnøya. Precipitation occurs often but in small amounts, typically less than 400 millimetres (16 in) in western Spitsbergen. More rain falls on the uninhabited eastern side, where over 1,000 millimetres (39 in) of rain can occur.