Part 5/10:

The storyline of human presence in Svalbard is just as dramatic as its physical landscape. Dutch explorer Willem Barentsz first recorded the islands in 1596, naming it "Spitsbergen" due to its pointed mountain ranges. While Barentsz's findings marked the beginning of documented history in Svalbard, there’s evidence that Russian pomar hunters may have reached the archipelago long before.

Arctic exploration and exploitation shaped the latter centuries, with European whalers arriving in the 1600s and 1700s. The early success of whaling drew settlers to establish temporary communities, but overhunting eventually devastated whale populations. The late 1800s saw a shift as coal deposits attracted mining companies, giving rise to permanent settlements such as Longyearbyen and Barentsburg.