Svalbard This week in history, 1 January
2002
The local council begins
Longyearbyen lokalstyre was established on 1 January 2002. By then many of the tasks the coal company once handled had passed to other bodies.
History Store norske leksikon
Wednesday 31 December 2025Before the Wire, which starts 26 October 2026Updated 23:59
Polar night, day 66 of 111. The sun returns 15 February.
Svalbard Wire starts on 26 October 2026. Pages before that date show the history of the island.
From the timeline, The present transition
2017
Helicopter crash off Barentsburg
On 26 October 2017 a Russian helicopter crashed in Isfjorden on its way in to Kapp Heer, and all eight on board died. The town of Barentsburg was deeply marked by it.
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The timeline by era
- 1596Discovery and whaling, 3 entries
- 1715Hunting and expeditions, 4 entries
- 1905The coal town, 6 entries
- 1920The Svalbard Treaty, 4 entries
- 1941War and rebuilding, 4 entries
- 1975The modern town, 3 entries
- 2015The present transition, 6 entries