City · Svalbard and Jan Mayen
Longyearbyen
Longyearbyen is one of the world's northernmost settlements, with an estimated population of around 2,400–2,800, and is the capital and largest settled area of Svalbard. It stretches along the foot of the left bank of the Longyear Valley and on the shore of Adventfjorden, the short estuary leading into Isfjorden on the west coast of Spitsbergen, the island's broadest inlet. As of 2002, Longyearbyen Community Council is an official Norwegian municipality. It is the seat of the Governor of Svalbard. As of 2024, the town's mayor is Leif Terje Aunevik.
Good to know
- Population: 2,368.
- Founded: 1906.
- Area: 242.9 sq km.
- Timezone: Arctic/Longyearbyen.