Svalbard - Case Study Flashcards
Opportunities in Svalbard
4
MINERAL
ENERGY
FISHING
TOURISM
Challenges in Svalbard?
4
EXTREME TEMPERATURES
CONSTRUCTION
SERVICES
ACCESSIBILITY
Svalbard - where is it?
Norwegian territory in the Arctic Ocean
Svalbard - what is it?
Most northerly permanently inhabited group of islands in the world
_____ major islands, largest = _________ (Svalbard)
5
Spitzbergen
Svalbard - population?
About 2700
OPPURTUNITIES IN SVALBARD
MINERAL
(3)
Rich reserves of coal
Main economic activity
More than 300 people employed
OPPORTUNITIES IN SVALBARD
ENERGY
(3)
Longyearbyen power station provides all energy(coal)
Environmentalists think it should be shut down
Most likely to be replaced by geothermal energy
OPPORTUNITIES IN SVALBARD
FISHING
(3)
Barents Sea (south of Svalbard) = one of the richest fishing grounds in the world
- > estimated 150 species
- > monitored by Norway & Russia - fishing sustainable & ecosystem protected
OPPORTUNITIES IN SVALBARD
TOURISM
(2)
Tourism increasing
2011 - 70,000 people visited longyearbyen
CHALLENGES IN SVALBARD
EXTREME TEMPERATURES
(3)
Winter temps can fall below -30 degrees
Serious risk of frostbite - dangerous to work
Have to dress appropriately - makes outdoor work hard
CHALLENGES IN SVALBARD
CONSTRUCTION
(2)
Most construction work carried out during brief summer
The frozen ground (permafrost) = good solid foundation
CHALLENGES IN SVALBARD
SERVICES
(2)
Most services are provided to individual buildings by overground heated water & sewage pipes
Need to be kept of ground to prevent thawing
CHALLENGES IN SVALBARD
ACCESSIBILITY
(2)
Can only be reached by plane or ship
Most people us snowmobiles to get around
