With postmark
and cover collectors the polar regions have always been very popular. A
collection is not complete without mail from bases in Antarctica. On the other
side of the world post offices above the Arctic Circle exist in Norway,
Greenland, Finland, Alaska, Canada and Russia.
In Norway there
are post offices above the Arctic Circle on the mainland. Also the island of
Jan Mayen has a post office. The region of Svalbard has four post offices on
the largest island Spitsbergen and two on the islands of Hopen and Bear Island
(Bjørnøya).
This envelope
was postmarked in the city of Ny-Ålesund. It lies in the Oscar II Land on
Spitsbergen. The company town is owned and operated by Kings Bay, who provide
facilities for permanent research institutes from ten countries. The town is
ultimately owned by the Ministry of Trade and Industry and is not incorporated.
Ny-Ålesund has an all-year permanent population of 30 to 35, with the summer
population reaching 120. Its facilities include Ny-Ålesund Airport,
Hamnerabben, Svalbard Rocket Range, a port and Ny-Ålesund Town and Mine Museum,
as well as fifteen permanent research stations. It is the northernmost
functional civilian settlement in the world, which makes the post office the
northernmost functioning post office in the world.
The postmark shows
a seal and the geographic coordinates of the town. It has been in use since
March 2012. As stamps I bought the most recent Norwegian Svalbard stamps from
1996. Although the postal rate for an international letter is only NOK 17, I used
the complete series because they look very nice on the envelope.
Date sent: 28
April 2017
Date postmark: 9
May 2017
Date received:
17 May 2017
Number of days: 19
Envelope in
collection: 67
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