Understand
Located at 78°55â²N 11°56â²E, Ny-à lesund is by most measures the northernmost permanent settlement in the world except for a few military bases. Founded in 1916 as a coal mining town, the town housed 400 people at its peak, until it was shut down in 1962 after an explosion killed 21 people.
Ny-Ã lesund reopened in 1968 as a research base. Today owned and run by Kings Bay AS, the tiny town is home to 30-35 people year-round, but the population can swell to over 120 in the summer. Practically all inhabitants are scientists.
