Svalbard glaciers of Norway

Spitsbergen (Svalbard) the northernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway. This is the most beautiful place on earth, where the Arctic cold formed unique flora and fauna, and huge glaciers and crystal waterfalls fascinate anyone who manages to visit here.

Svalbard (which translates as the North shore) is the northernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway, the harsh climate quite confirms this. It is located approximately half way between mainland Norway and North Pole.





Svalbard – the wonderful world of blue and white icebergs, crystal waterfalls, glaciers and fjords.

Svalbard is a system of seven National parks, three reserves, located in the archipelago of Svalbard, and 15 bird sanctuaries.

In total, the protection is more than 62 thousand square meters of land, of which almost 60% of the area is covered by glaciers. The basic concept, which operates in the territory of Svalbard — the protection of the unique nature of the archipelago from environmental pollution and the preservation of rare species of plants, birds and animals. It is impossible to catch the fish, touch a bird's nest, pluck flowers, and even to move large rocks. Visitors to the reserve must be extremely careful to in no way harm the flora and fauna.





In spite of such a close location to the North pole, the climate of Svalbard is quite soft. This is due to the fact that its shores are bathed by the warm Gulf stream. The temperature here in winter is not below 15 degrees and in summer the air can warm up to +5. At this time the coast of the Islands covers the green carpet of various grasses with variegated splashes of bright colors: purple saxifrage, blue forget-me-nots, purple carnations and Svalbard poppies.









A unique feature of this unusual nature reserve – very low content in the soil and the air of microbes, parasites and dust. In the polar summer is here around the clock light, and due to the extraordinary transparency of the air the sun shines at midnight, brighter than at any point in Norway to noon. In winter the sky over the archipelago ignited the amazing Northern lights, the beauty of which it is impossible to avert its gaze.

The upper region of the steep cliffs of the reserve was chosen by gulls, puffins and guillemots. Just below the nesting of Barnacle geese, Skuas and eider ducks. For the year to the archipelago, flying hundreds of thousands of birds that presents more than 108 species of birds.

In addition to birds, living on the coast of Svalbard find foxes, deer, seals, walruses, orcas and whales. Warm over here come the shoals of cod, herring, haddock and halibut. Not averse to hunt here and the main predator of the Arctic – the polar bear. Here lives a fifth of their population all over the world.

 




Source: /users/104