Tegemist on suurima asustuse ja administratiivkeskusega Teravmägedel. Ta asub Spitsbergeni saare läänerannikul Adventfjordeni (Advendi fjord) lõunakaldal. Longyearbyenis elab umbkaudu 2000 elanikku, arvukus sõltub ka natuke aastaajast. Tegemist on maailma põhjapoolseima linnaga (kui linnaks saab teda nimetada) ja kõige põhjapoolseima asulaga, kus elab püsivalt rohkem kui 1000 elanikku. Kõik sai alguse kivisöe kaevandamisest. Ameeriklasest ettevõtja John Munroe Longyear, kes koos oma kompanjoni Frederick Ayer’iga rajas Arktika Kivisöe Kompanii Bostonis, asutas Longyear City 1906. aastal, alustades kaevandustegevusega. Hiljem 1916. aastal müüs ta asula Norrale ja see nimetati 1926. aastal ümber Longyearbyeniks (byen tähendab norra keeles linna).
Mulle on Longyearbyen viimastel aastatel saanud justkui teiseks koduks.
It is the largest settlement and the administrative centre of Svalbard. Located on the western coast of Spitsbergen, on the southern side on Adventfjorden (English: Advent fjord). Longyearbyen has around 2000 inhabitants, bit also depends of the season. It is the world's most northerly town, and the most northerly settlement with a population greater than 1000.
It all started with a coal mining. American entrepreneur, John Munroe Longyear, who together with his companion Frederick Ayer established the Arctic Coal Company in Boston, founded Longyear City in 1906 where they developed the mining operations. Later in 1916 he sold it to Norway and the settlement was renamed to the Longyearbyen in 1926 (byen in Norwegian means the town/city).
Last years Longyearbyen has become for me as a second home.
Longyearbyen Teravmägedel üle Advendi fjordi vaadatuna, märts 2010 / Longyearbyen in Spitsbergen as seen from the other side of Advent fjord, March 2010
