The Norwegian government has designated Ny-Ålesund as an international base for research in natural sciences on Svalbard, and as a centre for Norwegian Arctic research. All other activities in the area must pay due consideration to the needs and demands of the ongoing research. Ny-Ålesund is easy to reach and has a well-developed infrastructure. This, combined with the unique natural surroundings, make it an optimal base for conducting Arctic research in any of the natural sciences.

Ny-Ålesund (78°55’ N, 11°56’ E) is one of the world’s northernmost human settlements. It is situated on Kongsfjorden – the King’s fjord – on north-western Spitsbergen, which is the largest of the Svalbard islands. Surrounded by mountains and glaciers, which at several places stretch well out into the sea, the town lies in one of the most scenic areas of Svalbard.  

The Ny-Ålesund area consists of typical high-Arctic ecosystems, with both marine and terrestrial components. It offers a variety of Arctic fjord environments, from calving glacier fronts to sandy beaches, providing superb opportunities for marine research. The terrestrial environments in the Kongsfjorden area, including several bird and plant sanctuaries, are rich in wildlife and also provide ample opportunities for research. The geology of the Kongsfjorden area is very diverse, and the area offers sites ranging from rocks and cliffs exposed to the raging Arctic seas on the tip of the Brøgger peninsula to protected coves in the inner parts of the fjord. This diversity is reflected in the vegetation, which varies from bleak ’Arctic desert’ to lush tundra and grassland communities.

Ny-Ålesund is surrounded by a variety of high Arctic ecosystems typical of Svalbard, and most of the islands’ animal and plant species are to be found in the area. Along the rim of the fjord there are densely populated bird cliffs and other rock formations and islands with breeding sea birds. Waders are particularly common in the Kongsfjorden area compared to other parts of Svalbard. The Svalbard ptarmigan (Lagopus mutus hyperboreus) is the only permanently wintering bird species in Svalbard.

The ringed seal (Phoca hispida) has important breeding and pup-rearing areas in the innermost parts of Kongsfjorden. The Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus) and Arctic fox (Alopex lagopus) are found in and around the town itself throughout the year, and during winter the polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is not an uncommon guest. The vegetation in the area ranges from a uniform and bleak lichen cover to lush areas further east which provide rich reindeer grazing.

The Kongsfjorden and Blomstrandhamna bird reserves were established in 1973 to protect important breeding grounds for eider and geese. In 1989 a plant protection area was established on Ossian Sars in Kongsfjorden. Several rare plant species are found on Ossian Sars, and camping or other activities which might destroy the vegetation are not permitted in the area.

See the Kings Bay AS web-site for more information about history and daily life. This site also contains an overviev of national and international research stations in Ny-Ålesund.