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Svalbard is the Norwegian Arctic archipelago located about midway between mainland Norway and the North Pole.
Three large islands dominate the archipelago - the Spitsbergen, Nordaustlandet and Edgeøya. The largest settlement is Longyearbyen.
The Svalbard Treaty (1920) recognises Norwegian sovereignty over Svalbard and the 1925 Svalbard Act makes Svalbard a full part of the Kingdom of Norway.
Coal mining is the main industry on the archipelago. In addition, research and tourism have developed rapidly over the last years.
Svalbard has a major Russian settlement based in the mining town of Barentsburg.
Svalbard in 2005 had a population of approximately 2,400 people, of which about 55% were Norwegians and 45% Russian, Ukrainian and Polish. Over the last years, natives from several other countries have moved to the area to engage in the international research projects.
Church bells warn about climate change
Svalbard Church (Photo Kirken.no)
The church on Svalbard will be the first to chime its bells in a “bell relay” to warn about climate changes in the Arctic.
In the end of November, the church on the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard will be the first in a “relay” where churches in Norway and Sweden will chimes their bells to warn about climate changes, NRK reports.
The action called “Cry from the Arctic” will continue southwards through the two countries until the United Nations Climate Change Conference opens in Copenhagen December 7.
The action starts on Svalbard, because the temperature changes on the planet are strongest felt in the Arctic and the melting in the High North will have huge impacts in all parts of the world, priest in the Svalbard church Leif Magne Helgesen says.
