Why Birth and Death Are Banned on Norway’s Arctic Island of Svalbard

Svalbard, the Norwegian Arctic island, is famous for its strict regulations. Birth and death are prohibited there. Expectant mothers from Longyearbyen, the island’s main settlement, are moved to mainland Norway when childbirth is imminent; similarly, terminally ill or elderly residents are moved for hospice care. The reason for this arrangement is the island’s inhospitable Arctic climate and a lack of sufficient medical facilities.

Arctic Soil and the Conservation of Bodies

Burials in Svalbard do not turn into dust as the island’s underground permafrost keeps the remains from decaying, and thus, they are very well-preserved. The occurrence luckily led to the finding of the Spanish flu victims from 1918, whose bodies, and possibly the virus, did not break down for decades. In order to curb the resurrection of dangerous germs and prevent pollution, the authorities prohibited burials. 

Coping with the Unforeseen

In case of death, which is extremely rare, the deceased is rapidly sent to Norway’s mainland, where they will be either buried or cremated. Such measures, often considered ‘unusual’, point to the difficulties humans face in living within such a remote and delicate ecosystem.

Living with Health and Ecology in Harmony

Svalbard, where births and deaths are banned. Hence, it protects not only the inhabitants but also the nature, being the middleman in the fragile life ecosystem along the frozen Arctic frontier.