Editing Svalbard (section)

== Population ==
=== Demographics ===
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In 2016, Svalbard had a population of 2,667, of which 423 were Russian and Ukrainian, 10 Polish, and 322 other non-Norwegians living in Norwegian settlements.<ref name="islandsize" /> The largest non-Norwegian groups in Longyearbyen in 2005 were from Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, and Thailand.<ref name=demographics />

In mid 2023 there were 3,094 inhabitants on Spitsbergen, including 2,465 at Longyearbyen, 130 at Ny-Alesund, and 10 (Polish) at the Hornsund (Isbjornhamna) research station; there were 440 Russians at Barentsburg and some 50 at Pyramiden. There were no inhabitants on the other islands except for 9 at the meteorological station on Bear Island (at Herwighamna) and 4 at the one on Hopen.

=== Settlements ===
[[File:Longyearbyen colourful homes.jpg|thumb|Company homes, [[Longyearbyen]]]]

[[Longyearbyen]] is the largest settlement on the archipelago, the seat of the governor and the only incorporated town. The town features an [[Svalbard Airport|airport]], hospital, [[Longyearbyen School|primary and secondary school]], [[University Centre in Svalbard|university]], sports center with a swimming pool, library, culture center, cinema,<ref name=chp10>{{cite book |chapter-url=http://www.regjeringen.no/nb/dep/jd/dok/regpubl/stmeld/2008-2009/stmeld-nr-22-2008-2009-/10.html?id=555006 |title=St.meld. nr. 22 (2008–2009): Svalbard |publisher=[[Norwegian Ministry of Justice and the Police]] |chapter=10 Longyearbyen og øvrige lokalsamfunn |date=17 April 2009 |access-date=24 March 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011142448/http://www.regjeringen.no/nb/dep/jd/dok/regpubl/stmeld/2008-2009/stmeld-nr-22-2008-2009-/10.html?id=555006 |archive-date=11 October 2012  }}</ref> bus transport, hotels, a bank,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.svalbard.net/reiser/uk/Shops-services-1-280.html |title=Shops/services |publisher=Svalbard Reiseliv |access-date=24 March 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100412182450/http://www.svalbard.net/reiser/uk/Shops-services-1-280.html |archive-date=12 April 2010 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> and several museums.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.svalbard.net/reiser/uk/Attractions-1-78.html |title=Attractions |publisher=Svalbard Reiseliv |access-date=24 March 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100125232446/http://www.svalbard.net/reiser/uk/Attractions-1-78.html |archive-date=25 January 2010 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> The newspaper ''[[Svalbardposten]]'' is published weekly.<ref>Umbreit (2005): 179</ref> Very little mining activity remains at Longyearbyen; coal mines at [[Sveagruva]] and Lunckefjellet suspended operations in 2017 and were closed permanently in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.spitsbergen-svalbard.com/2019/02/15/lunckefjellet-the-end-of-an-arctic-coal-mine.html|title=Lunckefjellet: the end of an arctic coal mine|last=Stange|first=Rolf|date=15 February 2019|website=Spitsbergen {{!}} Svalbard|language=en-US|access-date=28 January 2020|archive-date=29 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201129103033/https://www.spitsbergen-svalbard.com/2019/02/15/lunckefjellet-the-end-of-an-arctic-coal-mine.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.spitsbergen-svalbard.com/2020/02/26/svea-nord-is-history.html|title=Svea Nord is history|last=Stange|first=Rolf|date=26 February 2020|website=Spitsbergen {{!}} Svalbard|language=en-US|access-date=19 October 2020|archive-date=5 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201205225142/https://www.spitsbergen-svalbard.com/2020/02/26/svea-nord-is-history.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Ny-Ålesund]] is a permanent research settlement in the northwest of [[Spitsbergen]] and the [[Northernmost settlements|northernmost functional civilian settlement]] in the world. Formerly a mining town, it is still a [[company town]] operated by the Norwegian state-owned [[Kings Bay (company)|Kings Bay]] company. While some tourism to the outpost is permitted, Norwegian authorities limit access to minimize impact on scientific work.<ref name=chp10 /> Ny-Ålesund has a winter population of 35 and a summer population of 180.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kingsbay.no/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=70&Itemid=29 |title=Ny-Ålesund |website=[[Kings Bay (company)|Kings Bay]] |access-date=24 March 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090310235351/http://www.kingsbay.no/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=70&Itemid=29 |archive-date=10 March 2009 }}</ref> The [[Norwegian Meteorological Institute]] has outposts at Bjørnøya and Hopen, with nine and four inhabitants respectively. Both can also house temporary research staff.<ref name=chp10 /> Poland operates the [[Polish Polar Station]] at [[Hornsund]], with ten permanent residents.<ref name=chp10 />

[[File:Piramida Svalbard IMG 6283.JPG|thumb|The abandoned Soviet mining town of [[Pyramiden]]]]

The Russian (formerly Soviet) mining settlement of [[Pyramiden]] was abandoned in 1998, leaving [[Barentsburg]] as the only permanently inhabited Russian settlement. It is a company town: all facilities are owned by Arktikugol, which operates a coal mine. In addition to the mining facilities, Arktikugol has opened a hotel and souvenir shop, catering to tourists taking day trips or hikes from Longyearbyen.<ref name=chp10 />

The village features a school, library, sports center, community center, swimming pool, farm, and greenhouse. Pyramiden features similar facilities; both are built in typical post-World War II Soviet architectural and planning style and contain the world's two most northerly [[list of statues of Lenin|Lenin statues]] and other [[socialist realism|socialist realist]] art.<ref>Umbreit (2005): 94–203</ref> {{As of|2023}}, about 48 workers are stationed in the largely abandoned Pyramiden to maintain local infrastructure and run its hotel, which has been re-opened to tourism.<ref>{{Cite web |date=18 June 2013 |title=Back in Pyramiden, Svalbard – RUIN MEMORIES |url=http://ruinmemories.org/2012/08/back-in-pyramiden-svalbard/#_ednref |access-date=24 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130618024857/http://ruinmemories.org/2012/08/back-in-pyramiden-svalbard/#_ednref |archive-date=18 June 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{Citation |last=Barr |first=Susan |title=Pyramiden |date=14 February 2020 |work=Store norske leksikon |url=https://snl.no/Pyramiden |access-date=24 June 2024 |language=no}}</ref>

=== Religion ===
[[File:1973HDR Longyearbyen.jpg|thumb|left|[[Svalbard Church]]]]

Most of the population is Christian. Most of the Norwegians are affiliated with the [[Church of Norway]]. Russian and Ukrainian population belongs to the [[Russian Orthodox Church|Orthodox Church]]. Catholics on the archipelago are pastorally served by the [[Roman Catholic Territorial Prelature of Tromsø|Territorial Prelature of Tromsø]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/country/SJ.htm|title=Catholic Church in Svalbard and Jan Mayen|website=www.gcatholic.org|access-date=5 September 2019|archive-date=5 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190905000251/http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/country/SJ.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>