What kind of people live in the northernmost community of the world? What do their daily lives look like, and how do they interact with their surroundings? Spitsbergen (“jagged mountains”) is home to 2752 people of roughly 46 nationalities. Most of them live in Longyearbyen, research town Ny-Ålesund or the Russian mining settlement of Barentszburg. Few of them are left in Pyramiden, previously a mining utopia. Each photograph contains a story of the inhabitants who chose to live under dire circumstances in what they regard as their home, at a latitude of 78°N. These stories are constructed from facts, interviews with researchers, teachers, explorers, journalists and other community members and as such are part of an oral history of the archipelago. Learn about coal extraction, what happened during WWII, glaciers, living in the dark, houses built on permafrost, climate change, trappers, local communities and the opportunities that tourism offers. Explore and discover their rapidly changing world.
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Spitsbergen is a considerably safe environment compared to conditions of early Arctic exploration
Only children and cows were allowed on the grass
Exploitation plays a central role in the history of Spitsbergen
Big times for tourism and polar bear burglars
Tourism and research are the future, not mining
Minerals and coal, a ticket to get rich quickly in a no-man’s land
A history of extraction and local grown food in Spitsbergen
I was going to leave “the Arctic life” and never-ever go back
If you have a job, you are qualified
Children are born on the mainland
The dark season is the best. There are fewer tourists, people are less busy and there are many social activities going on, for example the polar jazz festival
About trappers
Urban farming in the high Arctic: meet Ben, founder of Polar Permaculture
The dogs are so happy to work. Unfortunately, dog sledding in winter is becoming quite tricky
It took 10 years for the Russians to rebuild Pyramiden after WWII was over
The fjord on the west coast remains open in winter
Tourism and research are the future. Not mining. Mining operations in Ny-Ålesund were shut down.
Research station Ny-Ålesund is famous for its parties
Marthe
The complete Theta 360 ° photos can be found here