The beautiful European village closest to the North Pole where it’s forbidden to die

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One of the few places on Earth where it is forbidden to die is this stunning European community near the Arctic Ocean, which is home to about 3,000 people and an equal number of polar bears.

In addition to its peculiar laws pertaining to death, Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean off the coast of Greenland, is well-known for its four-month-long display of the northern lights.

Due to the extremely low temperatures of Svalbard, which may frequently reach -46°C, it has been required since 1950 to leave the island before dying. Buried remains do not break down under these circumstances.

The islands lack cemeteries because of permafrost, a layer of soil that is continuously frozen.

The deceased were interred in the village until 1928, but it was later discovered that the bacteria and viruses that killed them could still exist.

If someone dies in Svalbard, their body will be flown to the Norwegian mainland for cremation or burial; however, since there are no facilities to care for the seriously ill, those who are seriously ill will be transferred to receive quality medical attention.

According to its tourism board, there are only three inhabited islands in the archipelago: Bear Island (Bjørnøya), Hopen, and Spitsbergen, the largest, which is home to the capital town of Longyearbyen, the northernmost settlement in the world.

“Svalbard is as close as most mortals aspire to get to the North Pole without missing out on their spirit,” said Lonely Planet, which lies just under 500 miles from Norway’s coast.

Willem Barents, a Dutch explorer and pioneer of Arctic expeditions, found the islands in 1596. During his third expedition, he came across the islands while looking for a polar route to the east. The Dutch term for Spitsbergen’s mountains is “sharp mountains.” Willem perished under subfreezing conditions along with a number of other crew members from scurvy, a condition that strikes sailors on protracted trips because they don’t obtain enough vitamin C from fresh produce. His name is attached to that Arctic water in his respect.

The two main industries the early settlers depended on before tourism took over were coal mining and whaling.

These days, Svalbard is well-known across the globe for its dog sledding, snowmobiling, and kayaking activities.

You can also go skiing or trekking, but because there are a lot of polar bears in the area, it is advisable that you never leave the town without a trained guide. It is mandated that all residents carry firearms when they leave their homes in order to protect themselves from bear attacks.

These islands are home to one of the greatest seabird populations in the world as well as other characteristic Arctic marine mammals such whales, dolphins, belugas, walruses, arctic foxes, and reindeer populations.

The Svalbard tourist office warns: “Polar bears can be found anywhere in Svalbard all year round, so be especially careful when leaving the settlements… Professional guides in Svalbard have a good knowledge of how to deal with polar bear encounters. They conduct regular training on how to handle bear encounters safely with the aim of resolving such situations without injury to either humans or polar bears”.

In 2022, a polar bear broke into a tent and attacked a French tourist. Her arm was slightly injured, but the animal was driven away by gunfire, saving her. Sadly, the bear did not survive. There have been six documented fatal bear attacks since 1971. The final casualty was a Dutchman, age 38.

The possibility that people could contract rabies from animals, such as Svalbard reindeer or Arctic fox, is one of the main worries concerning them. The proliferation of infections in this frigid place is an issue since the bodies do not break down. Nearly all of the Nordic nations are affected by this issue, but Svalbard is a well-known example.

Researchers discovered a virus from an epidemic that had wiped out the mining population in 1918 when they excavated sailors’ bodies in the late 1990s. Positively, this research resulted in the creation of a vaccine to prevent that fatal illness.

With the exception of cemeteries, the city meets all of the needs of those who live there. Along with hotels, restaurants, and a craft brewery, there are also churches, schools, cultural centres, transportation, air service, and security.

Scientists who are worried about the impacts of global warming visit the islands frequently. Compared to the rest of the world, the Arctic is warming six or seven times more quickly. Right now, the temperature ranges from -16°C to 9°C, with rare dips below -28°C.

The Norwegian-funded “Svalbard Global Seed Vault,” popularly referred to as “Noah’s ark of plants,” was opened in February 2008. Millions of seeds from important crops were stored in this vault in order to safeguard the base of our food supply going forward. Seeds have been shipped from more than 100 nations, with no additional costs for storage.

There are further mysteries surrounding this extremely frigid location. Since cats are among the largest predators and pose a threat to biodiversity, it is illegal to own them as pets.

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