View source for Longyearbyen

{{Short description|Largest settlement and administrative centre of Svalbard, Norway}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Use British English|date = March 2020}}
{{Good article}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Longyearbyen
| settlement_type    = [[Town]] <br />(''[[de facto]]'' capital)
| image_skyline      = {{Multiple image
 | total_width            = 280
 | border                 = infobox
 | perrow                 = 1/2/2
 | caption_align          = centre
 | image1 = Longyearbyen-spisshus-2022.jpg
 | caption1 = View of Longyearbyen
 | image2 = Svalbard DSCF1400 (23849118591).jpg
 | caption2 = [[Aurora]] above Longyearbyen
 | image3 = Svalbard Global Seed Vault april2017.jpg
 | caption3 = [[Svalbard Global Seed Vault|Global Seed Vault]]
 | image4 = 1973HDR Longyearbyen.jpg
 | caption4 = Church in Longyearbyen
 | image5 = Longyearbyen Kulturhuset IMG 2594.jpg
 | caption5 = The Culture House
 }}
| pushpin_map        = Arctic#Earth
| image_map          = NO 2100 Longyearbyen.svg
| map_caption        = Location of Longyearbyen (red) in Svalbard
| coordinates        = {{coord|78|13|N|15|38|E|display=inline}}
| subdivision_type   = [[Sovereign state]]
| subdivision_name   = {{flag|Norway}}
| subdivision_type1  = Territory
| subdivision_type2  = Island
| subdivision_name1  = [[Svalbard]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Spitsbergen]]
| established_title  = Founded
| established_date   = 1907
| established_title2 = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
| established_date2  = 1 January 2002
| governing_body     = [[Longyearbyen Community Council]]
| leader_party       = 
| leader_title       = Mayor
| leader_name        = [[Longyearbyen Community Council|Leif Terje Aunevik]]
| area_total_km2     = 10
| population_total   = 2,595{{efn|Includes [[Ny Ålesund]]<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ssb.no/en/befolkning/folketall/statistikk/befolkningen-pa-svalbard | title=Population of Svalbard }}</ref>}}
| population_estimate_year = 
| population_as_of   = 1 January 2023
| population_density_km2 = 259.5
| population_density_sq_mi = 648.75
| website            = {{URL|http://www.lokalstyre.no/}}
| official_name      = 
| image_shield       = File:Coat of arms of NO 2100 Longyearbyen.svg
| postal_code_type   = [[Postal codes in Norway|Postal code]]
| postal_code        = 9170 and 9171<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.posten.no/en/sending/domestic/svalbard|title=Svalbard and Jan Mayen – pricing and customs rules|date=15 August 2019 |publisher=[[Posten Bring]]|access-date=4 January 2025}}</ref>
}}
'''Longyearbyen''' ({{IPA|no-NO-03|ˈlɔ̀ŋjɛrˌbyːən|lang}},<ref>{{cite web |title=Longyearbyen |url=https://snl.no/Longyearbyen |website=Store Norske Leksikon |date=29 July 2020 |access-date=20 September 2022}}</ref> {{IPA|no|ˈlɔ̀ŋjɑrˌbyːən|local}}, "Longyear Town") is the world's [[northernmost settlements|northernmost settlement]] with a population greater than 1,000, and the capital and the largest inhabited area of [[Svalbard]]. It stretches along the foot of the left [[bank (geography)|bank]] of the [[Longyear Valley]] and on the shore of [[Adventfjorden]], the short estuary leading into [[Isfjorden (Svalbard)|Isfjorden]] on the west coast of [[Spitsbergen]], the island's broadest inlet. As of 2002, [[Longyearbyen Community Council]] is an official [[municipalities of Norway|Norwegian municipality]]. It is the seat of the [[Governor of Svalbard]]. As of 2024, the town's mayor is Leif Terje Aunevik.

Known as '''Longyear City''' until 1926, the town was established by and named after American [[John Munro Longyear]], whose [[Arctic Coal Company]] started [[coal-mining]] there in 1906. [[Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani]] (SNSK) took over the mining operations in 1916, and still conducts mining. The German ''[[Kriegsmarine]]'' almost completely [[Operation Zitronella|destroyed the town]] on 8 September 1943, but rebuilding took place after the [[Second World War]]. Historically, Longyearbyen was a [[company town]], but most mining operations moved to [[Sveagruva]] during the 1990s, and production ceased in 2017 due to immense financial losses suffered by SNSK since 2014 due to market conditions.<ref>{{Cite web|url= http://icepeople.net/2017/10/12/final-closure-government-recommends-permanent-shutdown-of-mining-at-svea-lunckefjell/|title= Final Closure: Government recommends permanent shutdown of mining at Svea, Lunckefjell {{!}} icepeople|website= icepeople|access-date= 2020-01-21|archive-date= 3 August 2020|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200803104643/http://icepeople.net/2017/10/12/final-closure-government-recommends-permanent-shutdown-of-mining-at-svea-lunckefjell/|url-status= live}}</ref> Meanwhile, the town has seen a large increase in [[tourism]] and research. This includes the arrival of institutions such as the [[University Centre in Svalbard]], the [[Svalbard Global Seed Vault]] and [[Svalbard Satellite Station]]. [[Svalbard Airport, Longyear|Svalbard Airport]], [[Svalbard Church]] and the [[Svalbardbutikken]] department store serve the community.

==History==
{{Multiple image|total_width = 250|direction=vertical|align=right
| image1            = Longyear City 1908.jpg
| image2            = Bundesarchiv N 1572 Bild-1925-084, Polarfahrt Dampfer "München", Advent-Bay.jpg
| footer            = Longyear City in 1908 (top) and 1925 (bottom)
}}

===Early 20th century===
In 1896, [[Vesteraalens Dampskibsselskab]] started tours to [[Hotellneset]]. To accommodate tourists, they built a prefabricated hotel, but it was not profitable and was closed after the 1897 season. However, two families overwintered in 1898–99,<ref name=Holm-1999>{{cite book |last=Holm |first=Kari |title=Longyearbyen – Svalbard: historisk veiviser |trans-title=Longyearbyen, Svalbard: Historical Guide |year=1999 |publisher=K. Holm |url=https://www.nb.no/items/URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2008090100031 |language=no |isbn=82-992142-4-6 |access-date=20 May 2021 |archive-date=20 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210520132718/https://www.nb.no/items/URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2008090100031 |url-status=live }}</ref>{{rp|55}} and [[Norway Post]] operated a post office at Hotellneset from 1897 to 1899.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|104}} The first commercially viable coal on Svalbard was harvested by Søren Zakariassen in 1899.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|45}} In 1901, Bergen-Spitsbergen Kullgrube-kompani started mining coal in [[Adventtoppen]].<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|46}}

The American industrialist John Munro Longyear visited Spitsbergen as a tourist in 1901, and met with an expedition prospecting for coal. In 1903, he returned to Spitsbergen, where he met Henrik B. Næss in Adventfjorden, who gave him samples and information on coal fields. Along with his associate [[Frederick Ayer]], Longyear bought the Norwegian claims on the west side of Adventfjorden, and expanded the claims significantly the following year. In 1906, the [[Boston]]-based Arctic Coal Company, with Ayer and Longyear as the main shareholders, started mining in Mine 1a, after building docks and housing.<ref name=geodef>{{cite web |url=http://miljo.npolar.no/placenames/pages/detailn.asp?placeNameID=08560A |title=Longyearbyen |publisher=[[Norwegian Polar Institute]] |access-date=15 March 2012 |archive-date=20 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120120034651/http://miljo.npolar.no/placenames/pages/detailn.asp?placeNameID=08560A |url-status=dead }}</ref> The company had American administration, but mostly Norwegian labourers, and named the town Longyear City.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|46}} Coal was transported the {{convert|1.2|km|sp=us}} from the mine to the port using an [[aerial tramway]] built by the aerial cableway company [[Bleichert|Adolf Bleichert & Co.]] of [[Leipzig]], Germany.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|148}} In 1913, the company started preliminary work to open Mine 2a.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|47}}

Following financial difficulties during the [[First World War]],<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|46}} the mining operations were bought by Store Norske, which was incorporated in Kristiania (renamed Oslo 1926) on 30 November 1916.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|119}} That year, SNSK built five new barracks, including one that was made into a hospital.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|83}} SNSK introduced its own money with the approval of [[Norges Bank]], consisting entirely of [[banknote]]s at par with [[Norwegian krone]].<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|116}} The American community buried their dead at Hotellneset. In 1918, eleven people were killed by the [[Spanish flu]] and a graveyard was established in Longyear City.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|64}} Two years later, 26 men were killed in a [[coal dust]] explosion in Mine 1. This resulted in the mine being closed<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|46}} and the electrification of Mine 2.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|47}} The same year, the first truck was delivered for use in the mining operations.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|69}}

The [[Church of Norway]] appointed [[Thorleif Østenstad]] as Svalbard's first vicar and teacher in 1920.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|126}} A school was established jointly by the church and SNSK and had an inaugural eight pupils.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|114}} The first church in Svalbard opened on 28 August 1921,<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|126}} and the church's reading room was from then on used as a school.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|114}} Longyear City was renamed Longyearbyen in 1926.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|85}}

The [[Norwegian Telecommunications Administration]] established a [[coast radio station]], [[Svalbard Radio]], at [[Finneset]] in 1911, which was moved to Longyearbyen in 1930.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|149}} The town's tourist industry started in 1935, when SS ''Lyngen'' started calling regularly during the summer season.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|153}} In 1937, SNSK established Sverdrupbyen to house workers for Mine 1b, and operation of the mine started in 1939.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|143}} In 1938, Longyearbyen's first road was completed, between the town centre and Sverdrupbyen.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|166}} Operations at Mine 2b, a different entrance to Mine 2a, started in 1939.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|47}}

Svalbard remained unaffected by the [[German occupation of Norway]] in 1940. However, from 1941 the archipelago became of strategic importance in the supply chain between the [[Allies of World War II|Allied powers]], as well as a source of badly needed coal. The [[Nygaardsvold's Cabinet|Norwegian government-in-exile]] rejected a Soviet–British occupation;<ref name=Arlov-1994>{{cite book |last=Arlov |first=Thor B. |title=A Short History of Svalbard |year=1994 |url=http://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2007032002001 |publisher=[[Norwegian Polar Institute]] |location=Oslo |isbn=82-90307-55-1 |access-date=21 February 2021 |archive-date=1 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200601155520/https://www.nb.no/items/URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2007032002001 |url-status=live }}</ref>{{RP|74}} instead the [[British Army]] started [[Operation Gauntlet]] to [[emergency evacuation|evacuate]] Spitsbergen. On 29 August 1941, the entire population of Ny-Ålesund was evacuated to Longyearbyen, and on 3 September 765 people were evacuated from Longyearbyen to Scotland. Later, the last 150 men were also evacuated.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|73}} With Longyearbyen depopulated, a small German [[garrison]] and [[air strip]] were established in [[Adventdalen]], mostly to provide [[meteorological]] data. After the British [[Operation Fritham]] regained control of [[Barentsburg]], the German forces left Longyearbyen without combat.<ref name=Arlov-1994 />{{RP|75}}

In September 1943, the ''[[Kriegsmarine]]'' dispatched two battleships, [[German battleship Tirpitz|''Tirpitz'']] and [[German battleship Scharnhorst|''Scharnhorst'']], and nine destroyers to bombard Longyearbyen, Barentsburg and [[Grumant]].<ref name=Arlov-1994 />{{RP|75}} Only four buildings in Longyearbyen survived: the hospital, the power station, an office building, and a residential building. Longyearbyen remained unsettled until the end of the war, with the first ship from the mainland leaving on 27 June 1945.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|74}}

===Post-Second World War===
[[File:Longyearbyen-1924-Coal-Plant.jpg|thumb|right|The old power station, one of a handful of buildings that survived the Second World War, and the cable centre]]
Plans were laid during the war to ensure a quick reconstruction and resumption of mining. By 1948, coal production had reached the pre-war level of {{convert|480000|t}} per year.<ref name=Arlov-1994 />{{RP|79}} [[Nybyen]] was established in 1946 and consisted of five barracks, each housing 72 people.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|94}} The first issue of ''[[Svalbardposten]]'' was published in November 1948. Until then, various [[wall newspaper]]s had been published irregularly.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|133}} In 1949, Longyearbyen received a telephone connection with the mainland via a radio connection between Svalbard Radio and [[Harstad Municipality|Harstad]].<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|149}} In 1949, a farm was built in Longyearbyen to hold cattle (for milk), pigs, and hens.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|37}} A local radio station started broadcasting in 1950.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|150}} The burial ground remained in use until 1950, with 44 people buried.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|65}} However, it was discovered that the bodies were failing to [[decompose]] because of the [[permafrost]], and that they could be preserving various [[microorganism]]s. Bodies have since been sent to the mainland for burial.<ref name="nodying">{{cite news |first=Duncan |last=Bartlett |title=Why dying is forbidden in the Arctic |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/7501691.stm |work=[[BBC News]] |date=12 July 2008 |access-date=13 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120303142720/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/7501691.stm |archive-date=3 March 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> The community centre [[Huset]] opened in 1951.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|57}}

Mining in Mine 1b was terminated in 1958,<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|47}} but operation in Mine 5 started the following year. Preliminary work on Mine 4 started in 1954, and from 1960 it was used as a reserve mine.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|48}} The [[Norwegian Air Force]] started serving Longyearbyen with postal flights in the 1950s. In 1959, a man fell seriously ill, so a landing strip was prepared in Adventdalen. From the same year, [[Braathens ASA|Braathens SAFE]] started serving the tundra airport with irregular winter flights.<ref name=Tjomsland1996>{{cite book |last1=Tjomsland| first1=Audun |last2=Wilsberg |first2=Kjell |year=1996 |title=Braathens SAFE 50 år: Mot alle odds |location=Oslo |language=Norwegian |isbn=82-990400-1-9}}</ref>{{RP|154–158}} In 1957, a principal was hired at the primary school and a new church was opened on 24 August 1958.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|126}} From 1961, the primary school was supplemented by a private [[middle school]].<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|114}} A branch of [[Tromsø Sparebank]] opened in 1959.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|16}}

In the 1960s, the town's farm was closed and replaced by industrial liquefaction of [[powdered milk]].<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|86}} The first serial-produced [[snowmobile]] was taken into use in 1961. By 1969, there were 140 registered snowmobiles and only 33 registered cars.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|69}} From 1962 to 1984, a recreational centre was run at Sverdrupbyen.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|143}} Ordinary operation in Mine 4 started in 1966 but was terminated by 1970,<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|48}} two years after Mine 2b closed.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|47}} Operations in Mine 6 commenced in 1969.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|48}} [[Television broadcasting]] equipment was installed in 1969, with the schedule of the [[Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation]] being aired with a two-week delay.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|150}}

[[File:Longyearbyen 1989.jpg|thumb|Longyearbyen in 1989, view from aerial tramway]]
In 1971, a new school building, with a combined primary and lower secondary school, was opened, along with a new gymnasium and a {{convert|12.5|m|sp=us|adj=on}} swimming pool.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|114}} The [[Svalbard Council]] was established on 1 November 1971. It consisted of 17 non-partisan members who were elected or appointed in three different groups: SNSK employees, government employees and others, although the ratio changed several times.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|134}} Operations of Mine 3 started in March 1971<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|47}} and operations in Mine 7 commenced the following year.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|48}} In 1973, the [[Ministry of Trade and Industry (Norway)|Ministry of Trade and Industry]] bought a third of SNSK. It continued buying additional shares until it reached a 99.94 per cent ownership in 1976.<ref name=naering>{{cite book |chapter-url=http://www.regjeringen.no/nb/dep/jd/dok/regpubl/stmeld/2008-2009/stmeld-nr-22-2008-2009-/9.html?id=554987 |title=St.meld. nr. 22 (2008–2009): Svalbard |publisher=[[Norwegian Ministry of Justice and the Police]] |chapter=9 Næringsvirksomhet |date=17 April 2009 |access-date=24 March 2010 |archive-date=25 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110825003249/http://www.regjeringen.no/nb/dep/jd/dok/regpubl/stmeld/2008-2009/stmeld-nr-22-2008-2009-/9.html?id=554987 |url-status=live }}</ref> The airport was opened in 1975 and initially provided four weekly services to mainland Norway and semi-weekly services to Russia.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|129}} In 1978, the community received [[satellite communications]] with the mainland.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|150}} The same year, an upper secondary program was introduced at the public school.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|114}} From 1984, television programmes were broadcast live via satellite.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|150}}

Store Norske underwent a gradual change during the 1980s. Since 1980, Spitsbergen money has been taken out of circulation and replaced with ordinary Norwegian currency.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|116}} Mine 6 closed the following year.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|108}} From 1982, SNSK permitted private individuals to own and operate cars. By 1990, there were 353 registered cars and 883 snowscooters.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|70}} On 1 July 1983, SNSK moved its head office from [[Bergen]] to Longyearbyen.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|119}} [[Svalbard Samfunnsdrift]] (SSD), a limited company that was responsible for public infrastructure and services, was established by SNSK on 1 January 1989. Responsibilities included healthcare, the fire brigade, the kindergarten, roads, rubbish disposal, power production, the water and sewer system, the cinema, cultural activities and the library. Ownership was taken over by the Ministry of Trade and Industry on 1 January 1993.<ref>{{cite book |chapter-url=http://www.regjeringen.no/en/dep/jd/documents-and-publications/Reports-to-the-Storting-White-Papers/Reports-to-the-Storting/19992000/report-no-9-to-the-storting-/7.html?id=456920 |title=Report No. 9 to the Storting (1999–2000): Svalbard |publisher=[[Norwegian Ministry of Justice and the Police]] |chapter=Industrial, mining and commercial activities |date=29 October 1999 |archive-date=11 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011005529/http://www.regjeringen.no/en/dep/jd/Documents-and-publications/Reports-to-the-Storting-White-Papers/Reports-to-the-Storting/19992000/report-no-9-to-the-storting-/7.html?id=456920 |url-status=live |access-date=19 April 2012 }}</ref>

[[File:University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) 2003.jpg|thumb|[[University Centre in Svalbard]]]]
During the 1990s, the authorities started a process to "normalise" Longyearbyen by abolishing the company town scheme and introducing a full range of services, a varied economy and local democracy.<ref name=Arlov-1994 />{{RP|86}} Commercial enterprises included a shopping mall replacing SNSK's provision store in 1992.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|125}} Similarly, [[Esso]] opened a commercial fuel station in 1994.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|70}} The Svalbard Council changed its regulations from 1993 and allowed parties to run for election.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|136}} In a step to increase tourism, Svalbard Polar Hotel opened in 1995,<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|132}} and a year later mining of Mine 3 terminated.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|47}} Longyearbyen Community Council was established in 2002, replacing the Svalbard Council and assimilating SSD, and took on many of the responsibilities and the structure of a municipality.<ref name=naering />

This period also saw the rise of a number of scientific establishments. The [[Agricultural University of Norway]] had established a primitive seed bank in 1984.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|44}} The [[University Centre in Svalbard]] opened on 6 September 1993 and had 30 students in its inaugural semester.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|164}} [[Telenor Mobil]] established [[GSM]] coverage in 1995,<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|151}} and in 2004 the [[Svalbard Undersea Cable System]] opened, providing [[fiber-optic cable]] connection to the mainland.<ref name="gjesteland"/> The [[European Incoherent Scatter Scientific Association]] (EISCAT) opened a radar in 1996,<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|36}} followed by Svalbard Satellite Station in 1999<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{rp|141}} and the [[Svalbard Global Seed Vault]] in 2008.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.regjeringen.no/en/dep/lmd/campain/svalbard-global-seed-vault/frequently-asked-questions.html |title=Svalbard Global Seed Vault: Frequently Asked Questions |publisher=[[Government.no]] |access-date=11 April 2012 |archive-date=25 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120225040059/http://www.regjeringen.no/en/dep/lmd/campain/svalbard-global-seed-vault/frequently-asked-questions.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===21st century===
[[File:NOR-2016-Svalbard-Longyearbyen-No 2b Mine 01.jpg|thumb|left|Mine 2b was mined from 1938 to 1969 and today, it is a heritage site]]
The Norwegian side of Svalbard in January 2021 announced its plans to phase out all the coal mining activities on the island.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/coal-phaseout-reaches-remote-arctic-archipelago-svalbard-norway/|title=Coal phaseout reaches remote Arctic archipelago|author=Walstad, Andreas |date=February 17, 2021|magazine=[[Politico]]}}</ref> On 30 June 2025 the Mine 7, the last Norwegian coal mine in Svalbard, was closed, though the mine in Barentsburg continued operation.<ref name=economist>{{cite news |title=The Looming Military Threat in the Arctic |url=https://www.economist.com/interactive/europe/2025/08/12/the-looming-military-threat-in-the-arctic |access-date=12 August 2025 |agency=[[The Economist]] |date=12 August 2025}}</ref>

Following the [[Russian invasion of Ukraine|2022 Russian invasion into Ukraine]], Longyearbyen and the Svalbard island became an important geopolitical location for Russia and NATO. The relative proximity of Svalbard to the [[Kola Peninsula]], an important Russian port housing its nuclear-armed naval fleet, and its strategic location for Western intelligence, which potentially mean it can become a target of Russia. In 2022 Russian trawlers were spotted as they severed an undersea communications cable that connected mainland Norway to Svalbard. In May 2025 Britain's foreign secretary, [[David Lammy]], arrived in Svalbard to promote "close defence and intelligence ties with Norway and mutual efforts to track hostile activity in the Arctic".<ref name=economist/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.csis.org/analysis/arctic-geopolitics-svalbard-archipelago|title=Arctic Geopolitics: The Svalbard Archipelago|author1=Østhagen, Andreas |author2=Svendsen, Otto|author3=Bergmann, Max|date=September 14, 2023|website=[[Center for Strategic and International Studies]]}}</ref>
{{clear}}

==Geography==
[[File:Longyearbyen-as-of-2022.jpg|thumb|View of the central parts of Longyearbyen from [[Platåberget]]. The body of water is [[Adventfjorden]] while the valley up to the right is [[Adventdalen]].]]
[[File:Longyearbyen view from the mountains.jpg|thumb|Longyearbyen seen from the top of the hill]]

Longyearbyen is in the lower portion of the [[Longyear Valley]], along the [[Longyear River]]. The lower parts of the town lie along the southwestern shore of the bay of [[Adventfjorden]], a {{convert|7|by|4|km|adj=on|frac=2}} branch of [[Isfjorden (Svalbard)|Isfjorden]].<ref name=adventfjorden>{{cite web |url=http://miljo.npolar.no/placenames/pages/detailn.asp?placeNameID=869P |title=Adventfjorden |publisher=[[Norwegian Polar Institute]] |access-date=19 March 2012 |archive-date=2 August 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120802212220/http://miljo.npolar.no/placenames/pages/detailn.asp?placeNameID=869P |url-status=dead }}</ref> Longyearbyen is on the [[Nordenskiöld Land]] peninsula of [[Spitsbergen]], the largest island of the Svalbard archipelago.<ref name=geodef /> Across the bay lie the [[ghost town]]s of [[Advent City]]<ref name=adventfjorden/> and [[Hiorthhamn]].<ref name=adventfjorden /> It is the world's second northernmost town, with all settlements further north (excluding [[Ny-Ålesund]]) being research or meteorological outposts.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/03/world/europe/03sun.html |title=A Speck of Sunlight Is a Town's Yearly Alarm Clock |last=Rosenthal |first=Elisabeth |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=3 March 2008 |access-date=15 March 2012 |archive-date=12 September 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120912074318/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/03/world/europe/03sun.html?_r=1 |url-status=live }}</ref> The northernmost permanent settlement in the world is [[Alert, Nunavut|Alert, Canada]], in the [[Qikiqtaaluk Region]] of Nunavut, while the true northernmost settlement in the world is [[Barneo|Camp Barneo]] in April.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/worlds-most-northerly-permanent-settlement-set-record-high-temperature-180972702/|title=The World's Northernmost Permanent Settlement Set a Record High Temperature|access-date=11 August 2020|archive-date=31 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200831181229/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/worlds-most-northerly-permanent-settlement-set-record-high-temperature-180972702/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Longyearbyen is divided into several neighbourhoods. On the west side of the river, along the bay, lies the port and affiliated utility and industrial services. The western part of this area is called ''{{langr |no |Bykaia}}'' and the eastern part ''{{langr |no |Sjøområdet}}''. Above lies ''{{langr |no |Skjæringa}}'', the site of the governor's offices. Slightly up the valley on the west side lies ''{{langr |no |Gamle Longyearbyen}}'' ({{gloss |Old Longyearbyen}}) and the church. Even further up lies the graveyard, then ''{{langr |no |Huset}}'' and the cinema, and finally ''{{langr |no |Sverdrupbyen}}''. Most of the residential, commercial and cultural institutions are on the east side of the river. Along the bay the area is called ''{{langr |no |Sjøskrenten}}''. Further up lies the university centre and ''{{langr |no |Gruvedalen}}'', the largest residential area. Southwards from there is the main shopping area as well as the town hall. To the east is the residential area ''{{langr |no |Lia}}'' and further up ''{{langr |no |Haugen}}'', which is also the location of the school. Furthest up in the valley is ''Mine 2b'' and ''{{langr |no |[[Nybyen]]}}'', which is mostly used as student housing. Westwards out of town towards ''{{langr |no |Hotellneset}}'' is the airport and ''Mine 3''. The remaining mines are in ''{{langr |no |Adventdalen}}'', to the east of town.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.unis.no/10_STUDIES/1040_Student_Life/documents/Longyearbyen_map.pdf |title=Longyearbyen map |publisher=Svalbard Reiseliv |access-date=19 March 2012 |archive-date=14 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314045514/http://www.unis.no/10_STUDIES/1040_Student_Life/documents/Longyearbyen_map.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

{{wide image|Longyearbyen panorama july2011.jpg|670px|Longyearbyen in July}}

=== Climate ===
[[File:Longyearbyen outskirts.jpg|thumb|Longyearbyen outskirts]]
Longyearbyen has a polar [[tundra climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]: ''ET'', [[Trewartha climate classification|Trewartha]]: ''Ftkc'') tempered by the [[North Atlantic Current]]. The west coast of Svalbard is the warmest and wettest part of the archipelago (except for [[Bear Island, Norway|Bear Island]]). This is caused by the convergence of mild and humid air from the south and cold air from the north. Longyearbyen generally has lower [[humidity]] than other settlements within the [[Arctic Circle]]. Longyearbyen experiences [[midnight sun]] from between 18 April and 24 August (128 days), [[polar night]] from 27 October to 15 February (111 days), and civil polar night from 13 November to 29 January. However, due to shading from mountains, the sun is not visible in Longyearbyen until around 8 March.<ref name="sunreturns">{{cite web |url=http://suncurves.com/en/v/7188/ |title=Sunrise and sunset times for Longyearbyen |access-date=28 April 2014 |publisher=Suncurves |archive-date=29 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140429075723/http://suncurves.com/en/v/7188/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Snow typically covers the town from November to March.<ref>{{cite journal|author1=Ebell, Kerstin|title=Multi-year precipitation characteristics based on in-situ and remote sensing observations at Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard|journal=EGUsphere|date=2024|pages=1–34|url=https://egusphere.copernicus.org/preprints/2024/egusphere-2024-3368/}}</ref> The warmest temperature ever recorded in Longyearbyen was {{convert|21.7|C|F}} in July 2020<ref name="SA-2021"/> and the coldest was {{convert|-46.3|C|F}} in March 1986.<ref>{{cite journal|author1=Førland, E. J.|title=Twentieth-century variations in temperature and precipitation in the Nordic Arctic|journal=[[Polar Record]]|issue=206|date=2002|volume=38 |pages=203–210 |doi=10.1017/S0032247400017721 |bibcode=2002PoRec..38..203F }}</ref> Svalbard and Longyearbyen are among the places in the world that have [[Climate change|warmed fastest]] in the latest decades.<ref name="SA-2021"/> The 1991–2020 averages show that mean annual temperature in Longyearbyen has increased by {{convert|3.6|C-change}} since 1961–1990. With the [[sea surface temperature]]s warming, ice formation takes longer in the surrounding waters and thus especially early winter under the polar night warms the fastest due to the shorter ice season.<ref>{{cite journal|author1=Nordli, Øyvind|title=Revisiting the extended Svalbard Airport monthly temperature series, and the compiled corresponding daily series 1898–2018|date=2020|url=https://repozytorium.umk.pl/items/71cb25e7-e8e0-4b5d-a94a-c2774033f78e|journal=Polar Research|pages=2, 9}}</ref>

{{asof|2021}}, Longyearbyen is the fastest-warming town in the world. Since 1971, temperatures on Svalbard have risen five times faster than the global average, by roughly {{convert|4|°C-change}}. Winters now are more than {{convert|7|°C-change}} warmer than they were in the 1970s. In 2020, Svalbard recorded its hottest ever temperature, {{convert|21.7|C|F}}, following 111 months of above-average heat. According to the [[Norwegian Meteorological Institute]], annual precipitation on Svalbard has increased by 30 to 45 per cent over the past 50 years, mostly in the form of winter rain. Since 2009, deep permafrost temperatures have increased at rates between {{convert|0.06|and|0.15|°C-change}} per year.<ref name="SA-2021">{{cite journal |last1=Dickie |first1=Gloria |title=The World's Northernmost Town Is Changing Dramatically|format=Original title: "The Polar Crucible" |journal=Scientific American |date=1 June 2021 |volume=324 |issue=6 |pages=44–53 |doi=10.1038/scientificamerican0621-44 |pmid=39020622 |url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-worlds-northernmost-town-is-changing-dramatically/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210518153619/https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-worlds-northernmost-town-is-changing-dramatically/ |access-date=20 May 2021|archive-date=18 May 2021 |url-access=subscription }}</ref>

Although [[Alert, Nunavut|Alert, Canada]] likely has a lower average [[Ultraviolet index|UV index]], Longyearbyen has the lowest recorded average UV index for any current or previously inhabited place on Earth. Between April and September, the UV index typically ranges from 1 to 2, with May, June, and July having the highest UV index of 2. All other months average at 0, giving Longyearbyen a mean UV index of 0.75 over 12 months.<ref name="d.o.o">{{Cite web|url=https://www.weather-atlas.com/en/svalbard-and-jan-mayen/longyearbyen-climate#uv_index|title=Longyearbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen – Detailed climate information and monthly weather forecast|publisher=Yu Media Group|website=Weather Atlas|language=en|access-date=2019-08-30|archive-date=30 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190830224839/https://www.weather-atlas.com/en/svalbard-and-jan-mayen/longyearbyen-climate|url-status=live}}</ref>

{{Weather box
|metric first= yes
|single line = yes
|location = Svalbard Airport Longyearbyen 1991–2020 (28 m, extremes 1975–2022)
|Jan record high C = 7.7 | Jan record low C = -38.8
|Feb record high C = 7.0 | Feb record low C = -43.7
|Mar record high C = 6.3 | Mar record low C = -46.3
|Apr record high C = 7.5 | Apr record low C = -39.1
|May record high C = 12.9 | May record low C = -21.7
|Jun record high C = 15.7 | Jun record low C = -8.4
|Jul record high C = 21.7 | Jul record low C = -0.7
|Aug record high C = 20.3 | Aug record low C = -3.9
|Sep record high C = 15.2 | Sep record low C = -12.6
|Oct record high C = 10.1 | Oct record low C = -20.8
|Nov record high C = 9.2 | Nov record low C = -33.2
|Dec record high C = 8.7 | Dec record low C = -35.6
|Jan high C = -7.7
|Feb high C = -8.3
|Mar high C = -8.8
|Apr high C = -5.7
|May high C = -0.6
|Jun high C = 5.6
|Jul high C = 9.4
|Aug high C = 8.2
|Sep high C = 4.0
|Oct high C = -1.5
|Nov high C = -3.8
|Dec high C = -6.1
<!-- Mean daily temperature -->
|Jan mean C=-10.9
|Feb mean C=-11.6
|Mar mean C=-12.0
|Apr mean C=-8.8
|May mean C=-2.2
|Jun mean C=3.6
|Jul mean C=7.0
|Aug mean C=6.0
|Sep mean C=2.0
|Oct mean C=-3.8
|Nov mean C=-6.4
|Dec mean C=-9.2
|year mean C=
|Jan low C = -14.2
|Feb low C = -15.0
|Mar low C = -15.5
|Apr low C = -12.1
|May low C = -3.9
|Jun low C = 2.2
|Jul low C = 5.4
|Aug low C = 4.4
|Sep low C = 0.3
|Oct low C = -6.1
|Nov low C = -9.3
|Dec low C = -12.2
|year low C =
<!-- Total precipitation, this should include rain and snow. -->
<!-- Enter "green" for green precipitation colours, remove this line for blue colouring. -->
|Jan precipitation mm=21
|Feb precipitation mm=17
|Mar precipitation mm=16
|Apr precipitation mm=9
|May precipitation mm=8
|Jun precipitation mm=8
|Jul precipitation mm=20
|Aug precipitation mm=23
|Sep precipitation mm=26
|Oct precipitation mm=18
|Nov precipitation mm=22
|Dec precipitation mm=24
|year precipitation mm=
<!-- Mandatory fields, source -->
|source 1= Norwegian Meteorological Institute<ref>{{cite web|url= http://sharki.oslo.dnmi.no/portal/page?_pageid=73,39035,73_39080&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL|title= EKlima|access-date= 13 February 2021|archive-date= 28 January 2021|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210128080558/http://sharki.oslo.dnmi.no/portal/page?_pageid=73,39035,73_39080&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL|url-status= live}}</ref>
|source 2= Meteostat<ref>{{cite web|url=https://meteostat.net/en/station/01008/climate|title=Meteostat.net|access-date= 2022-02-06}}</ref>
}}

{{Weather box
|collapsed=yes
|location = Longyearbyen (1961–1990)
|metric first = yes
|single line = yes
|Jan record high C = 9.7
|Feb record high C = 7.0
|Mar record high C = 6.3
|Apr record high C = 7.5
|May record high C = 10.6
|Jun record high C = 15.7
|Jul record high C = 21.7
|Aug record high C = 18.1
|Sep record high C = 15.2
|Oct record high C = 8.9
|Nov record high C = 7.5
|Dec record high C = 8.7
|Jan high C = -13.0
|Feb high C = -13.0
|Mar high C = -13.0
|Apr high C = -9.0
|May high C = -3.0
|Jun high C = 3.0
|Jul high C = 7.0
|Aug high C = 6.0
|Sep high C = 1.0
|Oct high C = -4.0
|Nov high C = -8.0
|Dec high C = -11.0
|Jan mean C = -16.5
|Feb mean C = -17.0
|Mar mean C = -16.5
|Apr mean C = -12.5
|May mean C = -5.0
|Jun mean C = 1.0
|Jul mean C = 5.0
|Aug mean C = 4.0
|Sep mean C = -1.0
|Oct mean C = -6.5
|Nov mean C = -11.0
|Dec mean C = -14.5
|Jan low C = -20.0
|Feb low C = -21.0
|Mar low C = -20.0
|Apr low C = -16.0
|May low C = -7.0
|Jun low C = -1.0
|Jul low C = 3.0
|Aug low C = 2.0
|Sep low C = -3.0
|Oct low C = -9.0
|Nov low C = -14.0
|Dec low C = -18.0
|Jan record low C = -38.8
|Feb record low C = -43.7
|Mar record low C = -46.3
|Apr record low C = -39.1
|May record low C = -21.7
|Jun record low C = -8.4
|Jul record low C = 0.2
|Aug record low C = -3.9
|Sep record low C = -12.6
|Oct record low C = -20.8
|Nov record low C = -33.2
|Dec record low C = -35.6
|Jan precipitation mm = 22.0
|Feb precipitation mm = 28.0
|Mar precipitation mm = 29.0
|Apr precipitation mm = 16.0
|May precipitation mm = 13.0
|Jun precipitation mm = 18.0
|Jul precipitation mm = 24.0
|Aug precipitation mm = 30.0
|Sep precipitation mm = 25.0
|Oct precipitation mm = 19.0
|Nov precipitation mm = 22.0
|Dec precipitation mm = 25.0
|unit rain days= 1 mm
|Jan rain days= 2
|Feb rain days= 2
|Mar rain days= 2
|Apr rain days= 3
|May rain days= 4
|Jun rain days= 13
|Jul rain days= 17
|Aug rain days= 18
|Sep rain days= 14
|Oct rain days= 5
|Nov rain days= 3
|Dec rain days= 3
|year rain days= 86
|unit snow days= 1&nbsp;cm
|Jan snow days= 21
|Feb snow days= 17
|Mar snow days= 19
|Apr snow days= 17
|May snow days= 16
|Jun snow days= 7
|Jul snow days= 1
|Aug snow days= 2
|Sep snow days= 11
|Oct snow days= 21
|Nov snow days= 22
|Dec snow days= 22
|year snow days= 176
|Jan sun= 0.0
|Feb sun= 0.0
|Mar sun= 77.5
|Apr sun= 228.0
|May sun= 254.2
|Jun sun= 165.0
|Jul sun= 155.0
|Aug sun= 133.3
|Sep sun= 75.0
|Oct sun= 12.4
|Nov sun= 0.0
|Dec sun= 0.0
|year sun= 1102.0
|Jan percentsun= 0.0
|Feb percentsun= 0.0
|Mar percentsun= 22.1
|Apr percentsun= 36.4
|May percentsun= 34.2
|Jun percentsun= 22.9
|Jul percentsun= 20.8
|Aug percentsun= 18.7
|Sep percentsun= 17.4
|Oct percentsun= 6.2
|Nov percentsun= 0.0
|Dec percentsun= 0.0
|year percentsun= 25
| Jan uv  =0
| Feb uv  =0
| Mar uv  =0
| Apr uv  =1
| May uv  =2
| Jun uv  =2
| Jul uv  =2
| Aug uv  =1
| Sep uv  =1
| Oct uv  =0
| Nov uv  =0
| Dec uv  =0
| year uv  =0.75
|source 1 = nordicvisitor.com<ref name="climate1">{{cite web|url=http://svalbard.nordicvisitor.com/travel-guide/climate-and-daylight/|title=Climate and daylight in Svalbard (Longyearbyen)|access-date=18 May 2011|publisher=NordicVisitor|archive-date=19 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160119045430/https://svalbard.nordicvisitor.com/travel-guide/climate-and-daylight/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|date=May 2011
|source 2 = UNIS (extremes only)<ref name = UNIS>{{cite web
| last = Sjöblom
| first = Anna
| url = http://www.unis.no/48_HSE/Info%20Lessons/Weather/safety_weather.pdf
| title = Weather Conditions on Svalbard
| access-date = 13 June 2015
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111109022747/http://www.unis.no/48_HSE/Info%20Lessons/Weather/safety_weather.pdf
| archive-date = 9 November 2011
| url-status = dead
}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.myweather2.com/City-Town/Norway/Longyearbyen/climate-profile.aspx?month=7 |title=July Climate History for Longyearbyen {{!}} Local {{!}} Norway<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=30 May 2015 |archive-date=30 May 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150530224058/http://www.myweather2.com/City-Town/Norway/Longyearbyen/climate-profile.aspx?month=7 |url-status=live }}</ref> (sun only)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.svalbard.climatemps.com/sunlight.php|title=Sunshine & Daylight Hours in Isfjord Radio, Svalbard, Norway Sunlight, Cloud & Day length|access-date=30 May 2015|archive-date=16 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160416214920/http://www.svalbard.climatemps.com/sunlight.php|url-status=live}}</ref> and Weather Atlas (UV index)<ref name="d.o.o" /><ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.lifeinnorway.net/hottest-ever-day-recorded-in-arctic-svalbard/|title = Hottest Ever Day Recorded in Arctic Svalbard|date = 25 July 2020|access-date = 25 July 2020|archive-date = 27 July 2020|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200727091954/https://www.lifeinnorway.net/hottest-ever-day-recorded-in-arctic-svalbard/|url-status = live}}</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
[[File:Longyearbyen main street.JPG|thumb|left|Tourists visit the main street, with a shopping mall closest and the town hall further down]]
On 31 August 2020, the Longyearbyen Tax Office registered 2,354 people as residents. The majority regional group were Norwegians, amassing into 64.5%, with the rest hailing from 53 countries outside Norway. The three biggest national minorities were Thai (137 people, 9%), Swedes (108 people, 7%) and Filipinos (100 people, 7%).<ref name=demographic2>{{cite journal|last1=Sokolickova|first1=Zdenka|first2=Alexandra|last2=Meyer|first3=Andrian Viktorovich|last3=Vlakhov|title=Changing Svalbard: Tracing interrelated socio-economic and environmental change in remote Arctic settlements|journal=[[Polar Record]]|issue= 58|date=2022|pages=6–7}}</ref> As of 2009, roughly 300 people (16%) were non-Norwegian citizens, with the largest nationalities being from Thailand, Sweden, Russia, Philippines, and Ukraine.<ref name="pop">{{cite web|url=http://www.lokalstyre.no/Modules/theme.aspx?Category.ID=699&ObjectType=Article&ElementID=1882|title=Om Longyearbyen|date=26 March 2009|publisher=[[Longyearbyen Community Council]]|language=no|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120302054809/http://www.lokalstyre.no/Modules/theme.aspx?Category.ID=699&ObjectType=Article&ElementID=1882|archive-date=2 March 2012|access-date=14 March 2012}}</ref> In 2012, the majority of Norwegians were originally from [[Northern Norway]], particularly [[Nordland]] and [[Troms]], and made up more than 40% of the population.<ref name=demographics>{{cite web |url=http://www.ssb.no/dette_er_svalbard/befolkning.pdf |title=Pendlere eller fastboende? |publisher=[[Statistics Norway]] |date=26 March 2009 |language=no |access-date=17 March 2012 |archive-date=7 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150407210139/http://www.ssb.no/dette_er_svalbard/befolkning.pdf |url-status=live |trans-title=Commuters or residents?}}</ref> 

In 2014, Thai people numbered at 120 and were the second largest group of residents after Norwegians;<ref name=Ahthaichef>{{cite web|url=https://www.norwegian.com/magazine/features/2014/05/the-people-of-svalbard/13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171029121608/https://www.norwegian.com/magazine/features/2014/05/the-people-of-svalbard/13|url-status=dead|title=Ah The Thai chef|publisher=[[Norwegian Air Shuttle]] (inflight magazine)|access-date=29 October 2017|archive-date=29 October 2017}}</ref> there were 60 in 2006. Thais first came to Svalbard when men brought their wives from Thailand during the 1970s.<ref name=Warmly>{{cite web|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/archive/2006/07/200841012024779644.html|title=Immigrants warmly welcomed|publisher=[[Al Jazeera Arabic|Al Jazeera]]|date=2006-07-04|access-date=2017-10-29|archive-date=3 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170803005808/http://www.aljazeera.com/archive/2006/07/200841012024779644.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2006, most of the Thai residents worked as cleaners.<ref name=Warmly/> In 2007, ten students at the [[Longyearbyen School]] were Thai.<ref name=Freezer>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/education/2007/aug/29/schools.uk1|title=Learning in the freezer|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|date=2007-08-29|access-date=2017-10-29|archive-date=29 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171029173106/https://www.theguardian.com/education/2007/aug/29/schools.uk1|url-status=live}}</ref> The Thai community is active in numerous cultural events annually and motivated the establishment of a Thai supermarket.<ref name=Ahthaichef/>

Because of the dominance of the mining industry, the 2012 gender distribution was skewed, with 60% of adults being males. Longyearbyen has an over-average share of its population between 25 and 44 years old, but nearly no residents over 66. The number of children in relation to the population is at the national average, but Longyearbyen has significantly fewer teenagers than the national average.<ref name=demographics /> In 2022, the population was very young, with about half of the people aged 20–44, about 400 children and only few elderly.<ref name=demographic2/>

Longyearbyen experiences a high [[population mobility]]. In 2008, 427 people (23%) moved away from the town.<ref name=pop /> The average person lived in Longyearbyen for 6.3 years: 6.6 years for Norwegians and 4.3 years for foreigners. In 2009, about a quarter of the population had lived in the town since before 2000, and can thus be regarded as its permanent population. The longest-residing people tend to work in the mining industry, followed by local government employees. The shortest tenures are held by students and employees in higher education, tourism and the state.<ref name=demographics /> The turnover has created what the Norwegian government calls a "revolving door society".<ref name="SA-2021" /> Most young newcomers leave within seven years, a turnover rate far greater than in any municipality on the mainland.<ref name="SA-2021" /> As of 2022, 43% of residents stayed less than two years and 64% stayed less than five years.<ref name=demographic2/>

In total, 70% of households consist of a single person compared to 41% on the mainland, giving an average 1.6 people per household. The difference is largely caused by people working on Svalbard while their family remains on the mainland. Longyearbyen's population is more highly educated than the national average—54% compared to 43% have upper secondary education and 30% compared to 26% have tertiary education. Among women, 40% have higher education.<ref name=demographics />

==Politics and government==
[[File:Leif Terje Aunevik, Mayor of Longyearbyen (2024).jpg|thumb|Leif Terje Aunevik, Mayor of Longyearbyen (2024)]]
[[Longyearbyen Community Council]] has many of the same responsibilities as a [[municipalities of Norway|municipality]].<ref name=naering /> It is organised with a 15-member council that since 2015 has been led by Mayor Arild Olsen of the [[Labour Party (Norway)|Labour Party]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://svalbardposten.no/nyheter/kvinne-valgt-av-folket |title=Kvinne valgt av folket |last=Amundsen |first=Birger |date=10 October 2011 |work=[[Svalbardposten]] |access-date=16 March 2012 |language=no |archive-date=12 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181012214501/https://svalbardposten.no/nyheter/kvinne-valgt-av-folket |url-status=dead }}</ref> The council's main responsibilities are infrastructure and utilities, including power, land-use and community planning, education from kindergarten to upper secondary level and child welfare. It operates three kindergartens in addition to the 13-grade [[Longyearbyen School]].<ref name="foreign info">{{cite web |url=http://www.sysselmannen.no/Engelsk_KFmF9.pdf.file |title=Information for foreign citizens living in Longyearbyen |publisher=[[Governor of Svalbard]] |date=15 August 2011 |access-date=14 March 2012 |archive-date=14 March 2012 |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/66ALri6g8?url=http://www.sysselmannen.no/Engelsk_KFmF9.pdf.file |url-status=dead }}</ref> Foreigners do not need a visa, work permit, or residence permit to stay there, due to Svalbard being outside of the [[Schengen Area|Schengen Area.]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Moving or travelling to Svalbard {{!}} Nordic cooperation |url=https://www.norden.org/en/info-norden/moving-or-travelling-svalbard |access-date=2025-09-03 |website=www.norden.org |language=en}}</ref>

[[File:Longyearbyen-sykehus-2022.jpg|thumb|Longyearbyen hospital]]
No care or nursing services and welfare payments are available. Norwegian residents retain pension and medical rights through their mainland municipalities.<ref>{{cite news |title=From the cradle, but not to the grave |publisher=[[Statistics Norway]] |url=http://www.ssb.no/this_is_svalbard/velferdstilbud.pdf |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/5qwUBmXF2?url=http://www.ssb.no/this_is_svalbard/velferdstilbud.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=3 July 2010 |access-date=24 March 2010 }}</ref> The [[University Hospital of North Norway]] operates a clinic, [[Longyearbyen Hospital]].<ref name=naering /> Other public offices with a presence on Longyearbyen are the [[Norwegian Directorate of Mining]], the [[Norwegian Polar Institute]], the [[Norwegian Tax Administration]] and the [[Church of Norway]].<ref name=admin>{{cite book |chapter-url=http://www.regjeringen.no/en/dep/jd/Documents-and-publications/Reports-to-the-Storting-White-Papers/Reports-to-the-Storting/19992000/report-no-9-to-the-storting-/5-The-administration-of-Svalbard.html?id=456897 |title=Report No. 9 to the Storting (1999–2000): Svalbard |publisher=[[Norwegian Ministry of Justice and the Police]] |chapter=The administration of Svalbard |date=29 October 1999 |archive-date=18 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120718092450/http://www.regjeringen.no/en/dep/jd/documents-and-publications/reports-to-the-storting-white-papers/reports-to-the-storting/19992000/report-no-9-to-the-storting-/5-The-administration-of-Svalbard.html?id=456897 |url-status=live |access-date=19 April 2012 }}</ref> Longyearbyen is subordinate to [[Nord-Troms District Court]] and [[Hålogaland Court of Appeal]], both in [[Tromsø]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.domstol.no/DAtemplates/CourtDetails____2995.aspx?epslanguage=EN |title=Nord-Troms tingrett |publisher=[[Norwegian National Courts Administration]] |access-date=24 March 2010 |archive-date=25 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110825002850/http://www.domstol.no/DAtemplates/CourtDetails____2995.aspx?epslanguage=EN |url-status=live }}</ref>

The [[Svalbard Treaty]] of 1920 established full Norwegian [[sovereignty]] over the archipelago. The treaty came into effect in 1925, following the ''[[Svalbard Act]]'' that established the institution of the [[Governor of Svalbard]]. The governor holds responsibility as both [[County governor (Norway)|county governor]] and [[chief of police]], as well as holding other authority granted from the executive branch. Duties include [[environmental policy]], [[family law]], [[police|law enforcement]], [[search and rescue]], tourism management, information services, contact with foreign settlements and judge in some areas of maritime inquiries and judicial examinations—albeit never in the same cases as acting as police.<ref name=admin /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://lovdata.no/all/hl-19250717-011.html |title=Lov om Svalbard |publisher=[[Lovdata]] |date=19 June 2009 |language=no |access-date=24 March 2010 |archive-date=9 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140309000141/http://www.lovdata.no/all/hl-19250717-011.html |url-status=live }}</ref><!--latter is supplementary, primary source--> [[Kjerstin Askholt]] has been governor since 2015;<ref>{{cite news |title=Dagens sysselmann på Svalbard |publisher=[[Governor of Svalbard]] |url=http://www.sysselmannen.no/Toppmeny/Om-Sysselmannen/Dagens-sysselmann/ |language=no |access-date=25 February 2016 |archive-date=5 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305010955/http://www.sysselmannen.no/Toppmeny/Om-Sysselmannen/Dagens-sysselmann/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> she is assisted by a staff of 26 professionals. The institution is subordinate to the [[Norwegian Ministry of Justice and the Police|Ministry of Justice and the Police]], but reports to other ministries in matters within their portfolio.<ref>{{cite news|title=Organisation |publisher=[[Governor of Svalbard]] |url=http://www.sysselmannen.no/enkel.aspx?m=44377 |access-date=24 March 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723004354/http://www.sysselmannen.no/enkel.aspx?m=44377 |archive-date=23 July 2011 }}</ref>

[[File:Longyeardalen.jpg|thumb|left|Upper part of the Longyear Valley, with the buildings of Sverdrupbyen to the left, [[Huset]] to the right and an aerial tramway in the background]] Because of the special treaty status of Svalbard, Longyearbyen is subject to Norwegian legislation, but citizens of any signatory country may conduct commercial activities and live in town.<ref name=treaty>{{cite news |title=Svalbard Treaty |publisher=[[Wikisource]] |url=http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Svalbard_Treaty |date=9 February 1920 |access-date=24 March 2010 |archive-date=24 March 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100324002033/http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Svalbard_Treaty |url-status=live }}</ref> However, people without a source of income can be rejected by the governor.<ref name=residence>{{cite news|title=Entry and residence |publisher=[[Governor of Svalbard]] |url=http://www.sysselmannen.no/hovedEnkel.aspx?m=45270 |access-date=24 March 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723003904/http://www.sysselmannen.no/hovedEnkel.aspx?m=45270 |archive-date=23 July 2011 }}</ref> The treaty limits Norway's right to collect taxes to that of financing services on Svalbard. Therefore, Longyearbyen has a lower [[income tax]] than mainland Norway, and there is no [[value added tax]]. The treaty has resulted in Longyearbyen being a [[demilitarized zone]]<ref name=treaty /> and it is not part of the [[European Economic Area]] nor of the [[Schengen Area]] like the rest of Norway.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lovdata.no/all/tl-19921127-109-0.html |title=Lov om gjennomføring i norsk rett av hoveddelen i avtale om Det europeiske økonomiske samarbeidsområde (EØS) m.v. (EØS-loven). |publisher=[[Lovdata]] |date=10 August 2007 |language=no |access-date=24 March 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001210194300/http://www.lovdata.no/all/tl-19921127-109-0.html |archive-date=10 December 2000 }}</ref>

Starting with the [[2023 Norwegian local elections]], voters for the Longyearbyen community council must have previously resided in mainland Norway for at least 3 years.<ref name=NRK>{{cite web|url=https://www.nrk.no/tromsogfinnmark/sentrale-svalbard-politikere-gir-seg-pa-grunn-av-ny-valgordning_-_-mangler-legitimitet-1.16103785|title=Sentrale Svalbard-politikere gir seg – slakter ny valgordning|publisher=[[NRK]]|lang=nb|access-date=28 July 2023|date=20 September 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.utrop.no/nyheter/nytt/310514/|title=Utlendinger blir fratatt stemmeretten på Svalbard|publisher=[[Utrop]]|date=20 June 2022|access-date=28 July 2023|lang=nb}}</ref> Previously, foreign citizens who had lived in Longyearbyen itself for 3 years had also been allowed to vote, with the rule change [[Disfranchisement|disenfranchising]] a significant percentage of the settlement's population.<ref name=NRK/>

=== Unique laws ===
Due to its remoteness, Longyearbyen has laws that are found in few, if any, other places in the world. Notable examples of such laws include regulations prohibiting the import of most live mammals and birds, a restriction on the amount of alcohol an individual can purchase each month, and a recommendation to anyone venturing outside to carry a rifle for protection against polar bears.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.sysselmannen.no/en/Residents/Import-and-export/Alcohol-and-tobacco/|title=Alcohol and tobacco|work=Governor|access-date=2018-02-23|language=en|archive-date=23 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180223171432/https://www.sysselmannen.no/en/Residents/Import-and-export/Alcohol-and-tobacco/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/cats-banned-longyearbyen-norway/|title=Cats Are Banned in the Town of Longyearbyen, Norway? It's also rumored that residents are "required" to carry a gun for polar bear protection|first=Madison|last=Dapcevich|website=[[Snopes]]|date=16 February 2024|language=en-US|access-date=2025-09-25}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://lovdata.no/dokument/SF/forskrift/1988-08-31-744|title=Forskrift om forbud mot innførsel av dyr til Svalbard|lang=no|trans-title=Regulations prohibiting the import of animals into Svalbard|website=lovdata.no}}</ref> While it is popularly claimed that it is illegal to die in Longyearbyen, the wording of this claim is misleading. While it is not actually illegal to die in the town, there are no options for burial of bodies there (ashes can be buried with permission from the government) and residents considered terminally ill are typically required to move to the mainland. The decision to disallow burials came in 1950, when it was discovered that the bodies of residents who had died as a result of the [[1918 flu pandemic]] had not begun to decompose. Today, scientists are concerned that these corpses, preserved by [[permafrost]] may still harbor live strains of the virus responsible for killing between 1% and 6% of the world's population during the early 20th century.<ref>{{cite web |last1=van der Jagt |first1=Kerry |title=Svalbard, Norway: The island where no one is allowed to die, or give birth |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/experiences/adventure-holidays/103873808/svalbard-norway-the-island-where-no-one-is-allowed-to-die-or-give-birth |website=stuff |access-date=20 May 2021 |date=14 May 2018 |archive-date=20 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210520150420/https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/experiences/adventure-holidays/103873808/svalbard-norway-the-island-where-no-one-is-allowed-to-die-or-give-birth |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Culture==
The community council runs a number of cultural activities, such as a cinema, a youth club, a library and a gallery.<ref>{{cite book |chapter-url=http://www.regjeringen.no/en/dep/jd/documents-and-publications/Reports-to-the-Storting-White-Papers/Reports-to-the-Storting/19992000/report-no-9-to-the-storting-/14.html?id=456932 |title=Report No. 9 to the Storting (1999–2000): Svalbard |publisher=[[Norwegian Ministry of Justice and the Police]] |chapter=Development of the local community in Longyearbyen |date=29 October 1999 |archive-date=18 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120718092900/http://www.regjeringen.no/en/dep/jd/documents-and-publications/reports-to-the-storting-white-papers/reports-to-the-storting/19992000/report-no-9-to-the-storting-/14.html?id=456932 |url-status=live |access-date=19 April 2012 }}</ref> [[Svalbard Church]] of the Church of Norway has the entire archipelago as its parish. The congregational hall is {{convert|126|m2|abbr=on}} while the sitting room is {{convert|112|m2|abbr=on}}. The church is built in [[half-timber]].<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{RP|126}} There are two museums in town, Svalbard Museum<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.svalbardmuseum.no/eindex.php?kategori=5 |title=Information about the museum |publisher=Spitsbergen Museum |access-date=19 March 2012 |archive-date=15 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120215152804/http://www.svalbardmuseum.no/eindex.php?kategori=5 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and the [[Spitsbergen Airship Museum]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.spitsbergenairshipmuseum.com/index.htm |title=Spitsbergen Airship Museum |publisher=Spitsbergen Airship Museum |access-date=19 March 2012 |archive-date=29 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120229120606/http://www.spitsbergenairshipmuseum.com/index.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Solfest.no|Solfestuka]] ("Sun Festival Week") takes place each year during the week surrounding 8 March, the date sunlight is first visible in most of the town after the polar night that began the previous October (the first official sunrise is usually 16 February, but most of the town is still in shadow due to the surrounding mountains).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://icepeople.net/2017/03/08/mass-enlightenment-sun-listens-to-warm-crowd-instead-of-drab-experts-in-shinning-return-to-longyearbyen/|title=Mass enlightenment: Sun listens to warm crowd instead of drab experts in shinning return to Longyearbyen {{!}} icepeople|website=icepeople.net|access-date=2020-01-23|archive-date=3 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803164526/http://icepeople.net/2017/03/08/mass-enlightenment-sun-listens-to-warm-crowd-instead-of-drab-experts-in-shinning-return-to-longyearbyen/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Dark Season Blues]] has been held annually in October since 2003.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.vg.no/reise/artikkel.php?artid=575665 |title=Svalbard-blues skal lyse opp i mørketiden |last=Langset |first=Mona |work=[[Verdens Gang]] |language=no |date=22 October 2009 |access-date=11 April 2012 |archive-date=19 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111119103028/http://www.vg.no/reise/artikkel.php?artid=575665 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Polarjazz]] has been held in late January/early February since 1998.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.visitsvalbard.com/hva-skjer/polarjazz-festivalen-p2521283|title=Polarjazz Festivalen – Festival in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen|website=Visit Svalbard|language=nb-NO|access-date=2020-01-23|archive-date=4 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200204091414/https://www.visitsvalbard.com/hva-skjer/polarjazz-festivalen-p2521283|url-status=live}}</ref> Since 2011, there has been a club of supporters for the [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool football team]], called the "Liverbirds Svalbard".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://joelrabinowitz.substack.com/p/liverbirds-svalbard-flying-the-liverpool|title=Liverbirds Svalbard: Flying the Liverpool flag in the High Arctic|first=Joel|last=Rabinowitz|date=20 June 2022|publisher=Substack}}</ref> [[Arctic Film Festival]] is a film festival held annually in the city's screening venue, Kulturhuset.<ref name=FilmFreeway>{{cite web |title=Arctic Film Festival |url=https://filmfreeway.com/ArcticFilmFestival |website=FilmFreeway |access-date=14 October 2019 |language=en |archive-date=30 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201230064030/https://filmfreeway.com/ArcticFilmFestival |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Arctic Film Festival, Svalbard – Festival in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen |url=https://en.visitsvalbard.com/whats-on/arctic-film-festival-svalbard-p5040593 |website=Visit Svalbard |access-date=14 October 2019 |archive-date=14 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191014125212/https://en.visitsvalbard.com/whats-on/arctic-film-festival-svalbard-p5040593 |url-status=live }}</ref>

An abandoned coal mine near Longyearbyen contains a steel vault constructed by Piql, a Norwegian data-storage company, alongside [[Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani]] as a part of the [[Arctic World Archive]] project. The vault stores data of historical and cultural interest from several countries, as well as all of American multinational company GitHub's open source code. It was opened on 27 March 2017.<ref name=vincent>{{cite web | last=Vincent | first=James | title=Keep your data safe from the apocalypse in an Arctic mineshaft | website=The Verge | date=4 April 2017 | url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/4/4/15159148/norway-data-vault-svalberd-mine-storage | access-date=13 August 2020 | archive-date=22 December 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191222152606/https://www.theverge.com/2017/4/4/15159148/norway-data-vault-svalberd-mine-storage | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nrk.no/viten/xl/dommedagshvelv-apnes-pa-svalbard-1.13439547|title=Dommedagshvelv åpner på Svalbard|last=NRK|date=2017-03-26|access-date=2018-04-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180411210030/https://www.nrk.no/viten/xl/dommedagshvelv-apnes-pa-svalbard-1.13439547|archive-date=2018-04-11|url-status=live|lang=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.piql.com/arctic-world-archive/|title=Arctic World Archive - Piql|access-date=2018-04-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180418225459/https://www.piql.com/arctic-world-archive/|archive-date=2018-04-18|url-status=live}}</ref>

The town houses [[Svalbard Bryggeri]], the northernmost commercial brewery in the world.<ref name=bdf>[http://www.drikkeglede.no/norske-bryggerier/svalbard-bryggeri-as-article3474-395.html Svalbard Bryggeri] Bryggeri- og drikkevareforeningen {{in lang|no}}</ref><ref>[https://www.nrk.no/troms/na-tappes-verdens-nordligste-ol-pa-svalbard-1.12480576 Nå tappes verdens nordligste øl på Svalbard] [[Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation|NRK]] July 31, 2015 {{in lang|no}}</ref>

===Sports===
The town's sole known organised sports club is [[Svalbard Turn]].<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{RP|139}} Svalbardhallen is an indoor sport centre that includes a multi-sport hall large enough for [[team handball|handball]] or three [[badminton]] courts, a shooting range, a climbing wall and a {{convert|25|m|sp=us|adj=on}} swimming pool.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{RP|155}}

The town has no outdoor sports fields, and there are no known cases of a senior team in any indoor or outdoor sport participating in a national Norwegian competition (e.g. [[Norwegian Cup]]). An under-16 boys [[futsal]] team, representing Svalbard Turn, played in the small 2-day ''[[Per Bredesen]] Cup'' in [[Horten]] in March 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gjengangeren.no/ingen-flytter-til-svalbard-for-a-bli-gode-fotballspillere/s/5-60-516420|title=Ingen flytter til Svalbard for å bli gode fotballspillere|website=[[Gjengangeren]]|date=10 March 2020|access-date=12 September 2023|lang=nb|trans-title=Nobody moves to Svalbard to become good footballers}}</ref>

Beyond the walls of Svalbardhallen, the websites of Svalbard Turn claim they host the Spitsbergen Marathon and the Svalbard Skimaraton (42.0km freestyle, though many participants use classic style).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://svalbardskimaraton.no/kontigent-lisens/|title=Klasseinndeling, kontingent og lisens|lang=nb|access-date=12 September 2023|website=Svalbard Skimaraton}}</ref>

===Media===
''[[Svalbardposten]]'' is a weekly newspaper published on Friday. Printing takes place in Tromsø and the majority of subscribers live on the mainland. ''Icepeople'', an alternative newspaper in English, is also published weekly.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{RP|133}}

For television, an edited feed of [[NRK1]] began airing in 1969 on a 2-week delay; the broadcasts did not accomplish live broadcasting until 22 December 1984,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.svalbardposten.no/historie-historisk-svalbard-historie/fikk-se-tv-i-opptak-uker-etter-fastlandet/168243|title=Fikk se TV i opptak uker etter fastlandet|lang=nb|access-date=12 September 2023|date=23 March 2018|website=Svalbardposten}}</ref> which in turn resulted in Svalbard being added to the national newscasts' weather reports. [[Allente]] pay-TV satellite signals have effectively been receivable since the [[Canal Digital]] signals became publicly available in mainland Norway.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tek.no/artikkel/i/rAGb8e/nittedal-teleport|title=Før ble TV-sendinger fraktet med fly. Så bygde de dette anlegget|trans-title=Before, television broadcasts were carried by plane. Then they built this facility|website=Tek.no|date=22 January 2015|access-date=12 September 2015|lang=nb}}</ref>

In regards to radio, [[NRK P1]]<ref name=P1AM>{{Cite web|url=https://www.svalbardposten.no/radio-telenor-svalbard/far-bedre-radiorekkevidde/199008|title=Får bedre radiorekkevidde|lang=nb|date=2 July 2020|access-date=12 September 2023|website=Svalbardposten|url-access=subscription}}</ref> (most likely the [[Troms and Finnmark]] opt-out), [[P4 Radio Hele Norge|P4 (Norway)]], and [[Radio Norge]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.svalbardposten.no/stille-for-radio-norge-og-p4/113590|title=Stille for Radio Norge og P4|date=15 June 2010|access-date=12 September 2023|lang=nb|url-access=subscription}}</ref> have been known to be available. As of July 2020, the Skjæringa mast was the only known remaining [[medium wave]] AM (or any AM range) broadcaster of an NRK station.<ref name=P1AM/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.radionordkapp.no/files/2019/09/am-sendinger-fra-nrk_kud_277a.pdf|website=[[Radio Nordkapp]]|lang=nb|title=Vedrørende AM-sendinger fra Ingøy og Longyearbyen|date=11 June 2019|access-date=12 September 2023}}</ref> [[DAB radio]] broadcasting began in August or September 2016,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.svalbardposten.no/dab-radio/dab-innstallert-pa-oya/150647|title=DAB innstallert på øya|date=2 September 2016|access-date=12 September 2023|lang=nb|website=Svalbardposten|url-access=subscription}}</ref> followed by FM radio shutting down in December 2017. Only the NRK DAB network with 13 stations was planned to be set up as of February 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.svalbardposten.no/dab-radio/svalbard-far-dab/145051|title=Svalbard får DAB|date=4 February 2016|access-date=12 September 2023|lang=nb}}</ref>

Fiber broadband is provided by the [[Svalbard Undersea Cable System]].<ref name="gjesteland">{{Cite journal |last=Gjesteland |first=Eirik |year=2003 |title=Technical solution and implementation of the Svalbard fibre cable |url=http://telektronikk.com/volumes/pdf/3.2004/Page_140-152.pdf |url-status=dead |journal=Teletronikk |issue=3 |pages=140–152 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415123547/http://www.telektronikk.com/volumes/pdf/3.2004/Page_140-152.pdf |archive-date=15 April 2012 |access-date=12 April 2012}}</ref>

==Economy==
[[File:ПресняковМ.А.Шпицберген.Лонгиер.Старинный деревянный пункт пересыпки угля.2014г.тон.бум.,см.т.21х29,7.--.jpg|thumb|Old coal filling station. Drawing by Max Presnyakov, 2014.]]
Coal production peaked in 2007 at 4.1 million tonnes, and reduced to 1.1 million tonnes in 2015.<ref name=ssb2016/> The only mining still taking place in Longyearbyen is at Mine 7, {{convert|15|km|sp=us|0}} up Adventdalen. In 2012 it produced {{convert|70000|t||abbr=}} of coal annually, of which {{convert|25000|t}} is used to fuel [[Longyear Power Station]], Norway's [[Energy in Norway#Electricity generation|only]] [[fossil-fuel power station|coal-fueled power station]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.snsk.no/gruve-7.145618.en.html |title=Gruve 7 |publisher=[[Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani]] |access-date=15 March 2012 |archive-date=12 March 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120312090841/http://www.snsk.no/gruve-7.145618.en.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=ssb2016>{{cite web |title=Gruvedriften Svalbards bristende hjerte |url=https://www.ssb.no/befolkning/artikler-og-publikasjoner/_attachment/286987?_ts=158ded82100 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170726003110/https://www.ssb.no/befolkning/artikler-og-publikasjoner/_attachment/286987?_ts=158ded82100 |archive-date=26 July 2017 |page=8 |language=no |date=2017 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Energy needs of Longyearbyen |url=https://www.sintef.no/contentassets/275dae666db8496aa5e89363790dac78/12-2017-06-14-geotermisk-energi-et-alternativ-for-svalbard.pdf |page=15 |date=2017 |access-date=2 May 2021 |archive-date=2 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210502132023/https://www.sintef.no/contentassets/275dae666db8496aa5e89363790dac78/12-2017-06-14-geotermisk-energi-et-alternativ-for-svalbard.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> The power station was scheduled for a NOK 60 million maintenance work, and the local authorities decided a NOK 40 million upgrade of the diesel power plant instead.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Urke |first1=Eirik Helland |title=Vedtatt: Longyearbyen stenger kullkraftverket, skal fyre med diesel |url=https://www.tu.no/artikler/vedtatt-longyearbyen-stenger-kullkraftverket-skal-fyre-med-diesel/513504 |website=Tu.no |publisher=[[Teknisk Ukeblad]] |language=no |date=17 September 2021 |access-date=19 September 2021 |archive-date=20 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210920212257/https://www.tu.no/artikler/vedtatt-longyearbyen-stenger-kullkraftverket-skal-fyre-med-diesel/513504 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Most of Store Norske's production was done at [[Sveagruva]], on [[Van Mijenfjorden]], {{convert|60|km|sp=us}} south of Longyearbyen. No roads connect the communities;<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.snsk.no/svea-nord.145613.en.html |title=Svea Nord |publisher=[[Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani]] |access-date=15 March 2012 |archive-date=27 February 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120227072903/http://www.snsk.no/svea-nord.145613.en.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> instead, workers lived in dormitories in Svea until it closed in 2017.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://miljo.npolar.no/placenames/pages/detailn.asp?placeNameID=014240A |title=Sveagruva |publisher=[[Norwegian Polar Institute]] |access-date=15 March 2012 |archive-date=21 July 2012 |archive-url= https://archive.today/20120721074035/http://miljo.npolar.no/placenames/pages/detailn.asp?placeNameID=014240A |url-status=dead }}</ref> Seventy per cent commute home to the mainland while thirty per cent commute to Longyearbyen. Mining has not been profitable and Store Norske relies on state subsidies to retain production.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ssb.no/dette_er_svalbard/gruvedrift.pdf |title=Gruvedrift: Svalbardsamfunnets hjerte |publisher=[[Statistics Norway]] |date=October 2009 |language=no |access-date=7 March 2012 |archive-date=28 March 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140328012630/http://www.ssb.no/dette_er_svalbard/gruvedrift.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

Svalbard fisheries have witnessed an unforeseen consequence of global warming: [[Atlantic cod]], [[mackerel]], and [[Chionoecetes|snow crab]]s, fleeing warmer waters to the south, are heading north to Svalbard, swelling the local catch. In the decade of the 2020s, Norway values its Svalbard fishing trade at about US$94 million annually.<ref name="SA-2021" />

The [[University Centre in Svalbard]] (UNIS) has 350 students and a permanent faculty of 40 professors and assistants and 120 guest lecturers. UNIS does not offer degrees, but instead offers semester courses in biology, physics and geology. Student housing is at Nybyen. The college is part of the {{convert|12000|m2|sp=us|abbr=on}} Svalbard Science Centre, which also features the Norwegian Polar Institute, EISCAT and Svalbard Science Forum.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.unis.no/30_ABOUT_UNIS/4010_Root/intro.htm |title=Arctic science for global challenges |publisher=[[University Centre in Svalbard]] |access-date=14 March 2012 |archive-date=6 February 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120206141732/http://www.unis.no/30_ABOUT_UNIS/4010_Root/intro.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2006, about 9,000 research days were spent in Longyearbyen, most of which were by Norwegians. This made Longyearbyen the second-largest research outpost on Svalbard, marginally below Ny-Ålesund. In contrast, Longyearbyen has almost only Norwegian research, while Ny-Ålesund is roughly evenly split between Norwegian and foreign.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ssb.no/dette_er_svalbard/utdanning.pdf |title=Pendlere eller fastboende? |publisher=[[Statistics Norway]] |date=October 2009 |language=no |access-date=17 March 2012 |archive-date=7 April 2015 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150407210139/http://www.ssb.no/dette_er_svalbard/utdanning.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:Kjell henriksen observatory.jpg|thumb|left|The [[EISCAT]] radar]]

[[Svalbard Satellite Station]] was built because of Longyearbyen's excellent location to download data from satellites in [[polar orbit]]. At [[Platåberget]] above Hotellneset, it was built as a cooperation between [[NASA]] and the [[Norwegian Space Centre]], but has since 2001 been operated by [[Kongsberg Satellite Services]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.forskning.no/Artikler/2006/desember/1165799815.02 |title=Øyet i himmelen laster ned på Svalbard |work=[[Forskning.no]] |date=December 2006 |last=Grønli |first=Kristin Straumsheim |language=no |access-date=14 March 2012 |archive-date=3 December 2011 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20111203060938/http://www.forskning.no/Artikler/2006/desember/1165799815.02 |url-status=dead }}</ref> EISCAT operates an [[incoherent scatter]] radar to study the [[aurora (astronomy)|northern lights]].<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{RP|36}} The [[Svalbard Global Seed Vault]], administered by the [[Global Crop Diversity Trust]], is a secure underground facility capable of storing millions of crop seeds. The facility has been designed to protect against natural and human disasters, including global warming, floods and fires and [[nuclear holocaust]]. The site was chosen for a number of factors including its remoteness, sound geology and the ambient temperature of the permafrost.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-oct-12-fg-vault12-story.html |title=The Seed Bank Atop the World |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=12 October 2007 |last=Roug |first=Louise |access-date=15 March 2012 |archive-date=10 March 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120310134221/http://articles.latimes.com/2007/oct/12/world/fg-vault12 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Longyearbyen is the centre of tourism on the archipelago, although most tourism is generated based on natural experiences rather than visiting the town itself. However, Longyearbyen does provide supplies (including [[Svalbardbutikken]], the area's only grocery store), accommodation and several museums. In 2008, Longyearbyen experienced 89,000 guest-nights, up from 30,000 in 1995. The average guest stayed 2.2 nights and 60 per cent of the capacity was used by tourists. About 40,000 tourists flew into Longyearbyen. Two-thirds of the tourists come from Norway. In 2007, the tourism industry had a revenue of NOK&nbsp;291 million and produced 200-man-years.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ssb.no/dette_er_svalbard/turisme.pdf |title=Turisme: Stadig flere vil oppleve Arktis |publisher=[[Statistics Norway]] |date=October 2009 |language=no |access-date=19 March 2012 |archive-date=7 April 2015 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150407210139/http://www.ssb.no/dette_er_svalbard/turisme.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> The Svalbard society received NOK 380 million in public funding in 2008, which increased to 650 million in 2015.<ref name=ssb2016/>

== Education ==
[[File:Longyearbyen skole IMG 2955.jpg|thumb|left|[[Longyearbyen School]]]]

[[Longyearbyen School]] serves ages 6–18. It is the northernmost primary and secondary school in the world.<ref name=Freezer/> Once pupils reach ages 16 or 17 many families move to mainland Norway. There is a non-degree-offering tertiary educational institution in Longyearbyen,<ref name="Freezer"/> [[University Centre in Svalbard]] (UNIS), co-located with the [[Norwegian Polar Institute]], [[Svalbard Museum]], Svalbard Science Forum.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.norwegian.com/magazine/features/2014/05/the-people-of-svalbard/10|title=Heidi The glaciologist|publisher=[[Norwegian Air Shuttle]] (inflight magazine)|access-date=29 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171029175303/https://www.norwegian.com/magazine/features/2014/05/the-people-of-svalbard/10|archive-date=29 October 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The Czech Arctic Research Station is also based in Longyearbyen and provides facilities for researchers and students not only from the Czech Republic but from all over the world.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Research communities |url=https://www.forskningsradet.no/en/svalbard-science-forum/svalbard-research-planning/research-communities/ |access-date=2022-03-21 |website=www.forskningsradet.no |language=en}}</ref>

{{clr}}
==Transport==
[[File:Taubanen Longyeabyen 06.jpg|thumb|right|Until 1987, a series of [[aerial tramway]]s were used to haul coal from the mines to the port]]
Longyearbyen has a road network stretching {{convert|50|km|sp=us|-1}},<ref name=lovogrett>{{cite web |url=http://www.ssb.no/dette_er_svalbard/lov-rett.pdf |title=Lov og rett: Anerledes lov og orden |publisher=[[Statistics Norway]] |date=October 2009 |language=no |access-date=19 March 2012 |archive-date=7 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150407210139/http://www.ssb.no/dette_er_svalbard/utdanning.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> but the network does not extend to any other communities.<ref name=Umbreit2005>{{cite book|last=Umbreit|first=Andreas|title=Spitsbergen: Svalbard, Franz Josef, Jan Mayen|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TExU1p6Cy20C|access-date=21 May 2021|edition=3rd|year=2005|publisher=Bradt Travel Guides|location=Chalfont St. Peter, Bucks|isbn=978-1-84162-092-3|archive-date=21 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210521100958/https://books.google.com/books?id=TExU1p6Cy20C|url-status=live}}</ref>{{RP|63–67}} In 2008 there were 1,481 registered road vehicles and 49 percent of all households had a car.<ref name=lovogrett /> Cars are registered with ZN registration plates.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{RP|70}} There is a single dealer who sells Toyotas, Svalbard Auto, which is also one of two businesses providing repairs.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.svalbardauto.no/om-oss |publisher=Svalbard Auto |title=Om oss |language=no |access-date=13 March 2012 |archive-date=13 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513191951/http://www.svalbardauto.no/om-oss |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[Snowmobile]]s are a popular mode of transport, and there are more snowmobiles than residents. In 2008, there were registered 2,672 snowmobiles, and 69 per cent of households owned at least one in Longyearbyen.<ref name=lovogrett /> [[Off-road]] motorised transport is prohibited on bare ground, but snowmobiles are used extensively during winter—both for commercial and recreational activities. Transport from Longyearbyen to Barentsburg ({{convert|45|km|disp=or|abbr=on}}) and [[Pyramiden]] ({{convert|100|km|disp=or|abbr=on}}) is possible by snowmobile in winter, or by ship year round.<ref name=Umbreit2005 />{{RP|63–67}}

[[Svalbard Airport, Longyear]] is at Hotellneset, {{convert|3|km|sp=us}} northwest of town. It has a {{convert|2483|m|sp=us|adj=on}} long runway and is the only airport that is permitted to serve aircraft from the archipelago.<ref name="info">{{cite web|title=Airport information for ENSB |publisher=Avinor |url=https://www.ippc.no/norway_aip/current/AIP/AD/ENSB/EN_AD_2_ENSB_en.pdf |access-date=20 April 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120611143342/https://www.ippc.no/norway_aip/current/AIP/AD/ENSB/EN_AD_2_ENSB_en.pdf |archive-date=11 June 2012 }}</ref><ref name=luftfart>{{cite book |chapter-url=http://www.regjeringen.no/nb/dep/jd/dok/regpubl/stmeld/2008-2009/stmeld-nr-22-2008-2009-/11.html?id=555023 |title=St.meld. nr. 22 (2008–2009): Svalbard |publisher=[[Norwegian Ministry of Justice and the Police]] |chapter=11 Sjø og luft – transport, sikkerhet, redning og beredskap |date=17 April 2009 |access-date=15 March 2012 |archive-date=11 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011005651/http://www.regjeringen.no/nb/dep/jd/dok/regpubl/stmeld/2008-2009/stmeld-nr-22-2008-2009-/11.html?id=555023 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Scandinavian Airlines]] operates daily flights to [[Oslo]] and [[Tromsø]],<ref>{{cite news |title=Destinations from Svalbard Airport, Longyear |author=Avinor |url=http://www.avinor.no/en/airport/svalbard/timetables |language=no |access-date=15 March 2012 |archive-date=5 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305214207/http://www.avinor.no/en/airport/svalbard/timetables |url-status=dead |author-link=Avinor }}</ref> and there are irregular flights to Russia. [[Lufttransport]] operates regular charter services to [[Svea Airport]] and [[Ny-Ålesund Airport, Hamnerabben]]. Arktikugol operates helicopters to [[Barentsburg]] and [[Pyramiden]].<ref name=luftfart /> There are two quays in Longyearbyen, one for the export of coal and one for general goods.<ref>[[Norwegian Mapping and Cadastre Authority]] (1990): 232</ref> From 1907 to 1987, the mining companies operated a network of [[aerial tramway]]s to transport coal from the mines to the port.<ref name="Holm-1999" />{{RP|148}} In 1900s the contemporary leading German wire ropeways company, [[Bleichert|Adolf Bleichert & Co.]] from Lipsia, built a material cableway from Mine 1 to the ship's loading station, which was later supplemented by a cableway to Mine 2.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Catford, Ken|title=The industrial archaeology of Spitsbergen|journal=Industrial Archaeology Review|issue=1|date=2002|volume=24 |pages=23–36|doi=10.1179/iar.2002.24.1.23 |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1179/iar.2002.24.1.23|url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite work|title=Arctic network builders: The Arctic Coal Company's operations on Spitsbergen and its relationship with the environment|author=Hartnell, Cameron C.|publisher=Michigan Technological University|via=[[ProQuest]]|date=2009|url=https://www.proquest.com/openview/75a2f6a3298812394d8184ee1ae9d9bc/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750}}</ref>

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
File:Svalbard DSCF1425 (23304828213).jpg|Longyearbyen at night
File:Telenor base stations Hotellneset IMG 2413.JPG|Bjørndalen base station
File:Longyearbyen Nice Houses - panoramio.jpg|Houses in Longyearbyen
File:Longyearbyen unterwegs in Longyearbyen 37.jpg|View of the city
File:UNIS01.jpg|[[University Centre in Svalbard]] (UNIS)
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[List of northernmost settlements]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |author=[[Norwegian Mapping Authority]] |title=Sailing directions, travellers' guide, Svalbard and Jan Mayen |year=1990 |url=http://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2007090704017 |series=[[Den norske los]] |isbn=82-90653-06-9}}
* {{cite book |title=Spitsbergen – Svalbard. A complete guide around the arctic archipelago |last=Stange |first=Rolf |year=2012 |url=http://www.spitsbergen-svalbard.com/?p=8434 |publisher=Rolf Stange |isbn=978-3-937903-14-9}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Longyearbyen}}
{{Wikivoyage}}
* [http://www.lokalstyre.no/ Longyearbyen Community Council] {{in lang|no}}

{{List of European capitals by region}}
{{Svalbard topics}}
{{authority control}}

{{Coord|78.22|15.65|display=title}}

[[Category:Longyearbyen| ]]
[[Category:1906 establishments in Norway]]
[[Category:Company towns in Norway]]
[[Category:Mining in Norway]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1906]]
[[Category:Populated places in Svalbard]]
[[Category:Port cities and towns in Norway]]