Longyearbyen
Longyearbyen is the administrative center and largest settlement of the Svalbard archipelago in Norway. Situated on the island of Spitsbergen, it is known for its extreme northern latitude, making it one of the world's northernmost settlements. The town was founded in 1906 by American John Munro Longyear, primarily as a coal mining town. Today, Longyearbyen has evolved into a hub for Arctic research and tourism, offering unique attractions like the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, which stores a vast variety of plant seeds from around the world as a safeguard against global crises. The town experiences polar night and midnight sun, with continuous darkness in winter and perpetual daylight in summer, creating a unique living environment.
