Spitsbergen - Svalbard: A Complete Guide Around the Arctic Archipelago

About this book

The fifth edition of this guide sees updates and new information for all chapters. All maps have been improved and come in colour print now. Furthermore, the colour photos have been updated and are now not organised in separate sections anymore, but all photos are located in the text, exactly where it makes the most sense.

This book does not only cover comprehensive information concerning all fields of possible interest but is at the same time a photo book containing many colour images to illustrate many wildlife and flower species and to document landscapes and places from all over the archipelago.

Spitsbergen – Svalbard has detailed information about the flora and fauna of Spitsbergen, its nature and human history and detailed chapters about all regions, fjords, islands and settlements. A total of 14 mammal species, 26 bird species and 29 flower species are described in detail and illustrated with colour photographs. Many sketch maps within the text provide geographical orientation. Furthermore, this book will answer questions concerning practical issues, how to travel in Spitsbergen, which seasons are good, relevant legislation, hazards out in the field and more.

Popular routes (hiking, snowmobile tours, cruises) are described in detail.

Contents

Foreword

1. Preface

2. Introduction

3. Travelling in Svalbard: Useful, practical and important information
3.1 Seasons
3.2 How to travel
3.3 Tour operators
3.4 Clothing, hygiene & the environment, photography
3.5 Getting to Spitsbergen
3.6 Conservation, cultural heritage, protected areas, safety
3.7 Longyearbyen
3.7.7 From coal to space research: Longyearbyen through 100 years

4. Natural history
4.1 Geology
4.2 Geography, glaciers, permafrost
4.3 Oceanic currents
4.4 Sea ice
4.5 Driftwood, plastic pollution and environmental toxins
4.6 Climate and weather
4.7 Mammals
4.8 Birds
4.9 Plants

5. History
5.1 Vikings
5.2 Pomors
5.3 Willem Barentsz
5.4 Whaling in the 17th century
5.5 Early expeditions and science
5.6 Attempts to fly to the Pole: Virgohamna and Ny-Ålesund
5.7 Trappers
5.8 Whaling in the early 20th century
5.9 The Spitsbergen Treaty
5.10 Mining
5.11 The Second World War
5.12 Spitsbergen after the war

6. Fjords and islands, settlements and stations: The regions of Svalbard
6.1 Isfjord
6.2 Forlandsund east side
6.3 Prins Karls Forland
6.4 Kongsfjord
6.5 Krossfjord
6.6 The northern west coast
6.7 Northwestern Spitsbergen
6.8 Raudfjord
6.9 The Woodfjord area
6.10 Moffen
6.11 Wijdefjord
6.12 Ny-Friesland, Verlegenhuken
6.13 Sorgfjord
6.14 Hinlopenstretet
6.15 Nordaustland
6.16 Storøya, Kvitøya
6.17 Kong Karls Land
6.18 Spitsbergen's east coast, Storfjord
6.19 Barentsøya
6.20 Edgeøya
6.21 Tusenøyane, Halvmåneøya, Ryke Yseøyane
6.22 Hopen
6.23 Bjørnøya
6.24 Sørkapp Land
6.25 Hornsund
6.26 Hyttevika, Dunøyane, Isøyane, Kapp Borthen
6.27 Bellsund

7. Arctic environmental problems

Customer Reviews

Biography

Rolf Stange, a physical geographer, has built up a thorough knowledge of all aspects of Spitsbergen during more than 20 years of extensive travelling throughout the archipelago. This book is a labour of love and it has become a life's work for the author since the first edition on 2007. Rolf lives in Longyearbyen and Dresden.