paper 1 - Svalbard Flashcards
(27 cards)
what is Svalbard
an archipelago - large group of islands
where is it located
Northern Europe - halfway between Norway and the North Pole
what country is it administered by
Norway
what is so special about it
its the worlds northernmost inhabited area
what’s the population
2,700
what’s the capital
longyearbyen
how many people live in the capital
2,300
what are the 4 opportunities in Svalbard
mineral resources, energy, tourism, fishing
how is mineral resources an opportunity
svalbard has a significant amount of coal, and coal mining is the main economic activity on the islands once employing over 300 people
how is energy an opportunity
a coal fired power station meets Svalbard’s energy needs. Due to this, and people having to import things Svalbard has the largest carbon footprint in Europe
how many people now work in coal mining
45
how is tourism an opportunity
svalbard is a popular tourist spot as people come to see the wildlife and northern lights.
how many tourists visit each year
roughly 30,000
how many people are employed in tourism
300
how is fishing an opportunity
the Barents Sea that surrounds Svalbard is home to over 200 species of fish
how is fishing sustainable
it is controlled
define ecotourism
travel that conserves the environment and benefits the locals
define inaccessibility
very difficult to travel or impossible to travel too or reach
define infrastructure
basic equipment and structures for a location to function
define non-renwebale energy
energy from sources that will run out e.g. oil
define permafrost
land that is permanently frozen
define sparsly populated
few people live in an area
what are the challenges in Svalbard
buildings and infrastructure, inaccessibility and temperature
how is buildings and infrastructure a challenge
permafrost makes it difficult to build on meaning roads are constructed on gravel beds to the permafrost doesn’t thaw. the pipelines are raised to stop them from freezing
