THIS town of glaciers and low temperatures, where there are more polar bears than people, is also home to some bizarre laws.
You can move freely there without a visa – but if you do, you’ll have to avoid cats, carry weapons and avoid giving birth or dying.
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Longyearbyern is one of the best preserved natural areas in the worldCredit: Getty
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There are more polar bears on the island than peopleCredit: Getty
This is Longyearbyen, a glacier town on the island of Svalbard where polar bears, reindeer, caribou and birds lived.
One of the town’s residents, Cecilia Blomdahl, said the wilderness is “so incredibly beautiful that it’s scary.”
She added: “But it’s not just the nature that makes this place amazing, it’s the people too.
“Since basically no one was born here on Svalbard, that means everyone who lives here chose to do so.
“It means you have a village full of beautiful like-minded people who love where they live.”
The islanders have adopted some interesting laws to protect their wildlife – which includes a variety of birds from puffins to arctic terns – and themselves.
Cats have been banned since the 1990s, when Norwegian authorities deemed cats too susceptible to rabies and tapeworm infections. They were believed to pose too great a risk to humans.
And in another effort to protect the human population, dying and burial are prohibited.
Terminally ill people are taken off the island to spend the rest of the day elsewhere after it is discovered that victims buried during the 1918 flu pandemic have still not decomposed.
The permafrost in which the victims were buried was thought to still contain live strains of influenza.
Video guide to Longyearbyen, the administrative center of Svalbard in Norway
In 1950, the Norwegian government banned dying and burial within the city limits, and the cemetery on the island stopped accepting new bodies.
Anyone who dies suddenly is quickly taken away to be buried.
Another law stipulates that islanders must always carry weapons.
The law was passed to ensure that anyone traveling outside the main settlements can protect themselves from possible polar bear attacks.
There are about 3,000 polar bears on the island, compared to a tiny human population of 2,500 – although there have been only five polar bear attacks on humans in recent decades.
The use of weapons is prohibited inside the settlement, and many public places on the island have clearly marked signs: “Carrying of firearms prohibited”.
Bizarre laws of Longyearbyen explained
THE CITY of Longyearbyen, located on the Svalbard Islands in Norway, is known for its unique legislation.
Some of the most bizarre laws of the small Scandinavian town include:
- No cats: Norwegian authorities have decided that cats are too susceptible to rabies and tapeworm infections to pose too much of a risk to humans – and to the island’s birds
- People must carry guns: The law is supposed to protect people from polar bears, of which there are about 3,000 in the area
- No Dying: Burial is illegal because the permafrost in which victims of the 1918 flu pandemic are buried is thought to contain live strains of flu, and those who are terminally ill are taken off the island.
- Alcohol limit: Each person can buy a limited amount of alcohol per month
- No childbirth: Weeks before the due date, the pregnant woman will have to travel to the mainland to give birth
On February 9, the Norwegian government announced that it would tighten the already strict regulations on the island.
Climate and Environment Minister Andreas Bjelland Eriksen said: “We are now tightening environmental regulations in Svalbard to strengthen the protection of flora and fauna.”
The new laws prohibit the use of unmanned aerial vehicles and snowmobiles on sea ice and require marine motorized traffic to stay at least 150 meters from walruses.
About 60 percent of the island is covered by glaciers, and visitors to the area are warned not to break the ice.
Another local resident, Blomdahl, said: “Life in Svalbard is not the easiest task, but it is very rewarding.”
Longyearbyern was first settled in 1906 and is one of the few remaining places in the world where you can move without a visa.
Svalbard has been owned by Norway since 1920, but EU residents do not need a visa – which is great news for Brits.
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The island has a number of strict laws to protect its animal populationCredit: AFP
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The northern settlement is one of the best places to see the northern lights Credit: Instagram / @sejsejlija
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Life in a small town on a glacier is a quiet life Credit: Getty
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A local resident says that life on the island is very rewarding Credit: Instagram/@sejsejlija
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Source: HIS Education