Longyearbyen (Spitsbergen, Svalbard Norway)

Longyearbyen is a port and the largest town in Svalbard Norway, with population around 1100. The port is located on Spitsbergen island's west coast, halfway along Isfjorden's southern part,. This is former coal-mining settlement and currently the European Arctic's biggest scientific research center with over 100 scientists arriving here each summer.

In Longyearbyen, cruise ship tourists will find bank, post office, library, conference facilities, travel agencies, restaurants, cafes, hospital, tourist information office, miners bath, supermarket, general stores, Svalbardposten (world's northernmost newspaper). Tourist attractions include Gallery, Svalbard Museum, cruise port, airport, friendly people, stunning scenery.

Cruising season runs between April and September. Port Longyearbyen is visited mainly by smaller-sized expedition ships from the fleets of Hurtigruten, Ponant, Scenic, Silversea, Hapag-Lloyd, Fred Olsen. Large cruise companies include MSC, AIDA, Princess, TUI. Season 2019's largest liner was MSC Preziosa (on June 23, port stay 8 am-10pm). For Longyearbyen is planned the construction of a new floating pier.

Svalbard Archipelago has all three islands - Spitsbergen (largest), Nordaustlandet and Edgeoya. The group is located north of Arctic Circle, midway between mainland Europe (Norway) and North Pole. Svalbard is among Norway's most popular cruise travel destinations - together with Norwegian Fjords (along the country's coastline). In Svalbard tourism have become an important industry, heavily supported (popularized) by "University Centre in Svalbard" and "Svalbard Global Seed Vault".

Svalbard islands were first used as whaling bases (17th and 18th centuries), then were abandoned. At the beginning of the 20th century started coal mining operations, and several permanent settlements were established. In 1925, Svalbard was officially incorporated into the Kingdom of Norway. Today, Norway's Store Norske and Russia's Arktikugol are the only mining companies there. Instead of roads, the only transportation between the settlements is via aircrafts, boats and snowmobiles. Svalbard Airport (at Longyearbyen) serves as main gateway.

The list of Svalbard settlements (all located on the Spitsbergen island) include Longyearbyen (main and largest), Barentsburg (Russian mining community), Ny-Ålesund (research station) and Sveagruva (aka Svea, Norwegian mining community). Svalbard is the world's northernmost settlement with a permanent civilian population. There are other settlements farther north, but they are all populated by rotating groups of researchers.