Prins Karls Forland
| Prins Karls Forland | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Waters | Greenland Sea | |
| Archipelago | Svalbard | |
| Geographical location | 78 ° 35 ' N , 11 ° 4' E | |
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| length | 86 km | |
| width | 11 km | |
| surface | 615 km² | |
| Highest elevation | Monacofjellet 1084 m |
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| Residents | uninhabited | |
The Prins Karls Forland (German and Prins Karls Forland ) is a striking long island on the west coast of to Norway belonging Svalbard -Archipels in the North Atlantic. The island is 86 km long, but only between 5 and 11 km wide and thus has an area of 615 km². Prins Karls Forland is uninhabited and is only rarely visited today. This is due to the fact that the waters around the island are sometimes very shallow and therefore difficult to navigate with ships. In addition, landings are sometimes very difficult due to the high surf .
climate
As on the entire Svalbard Archipelago, the climate is high arctic due to the high geographical latitude. Prins Karls Forland, however, is relatively strongly influenced by the warm West Spitsbergen Current (the last northern branch of the Gulf Stream ), so that at least the west coast facing the sea usually remains ice-free in summer and even winter. The Forlandsund (the strait between Prins Karls Forland and the island of Spitzbergen ), on the other hand, is relatively protected from ocean currents and usually freezes over in winter. In general, Prins Karls Forland has higher temperatures and higher rainfall than most other regions of Svalbard.
geology
Prins Karls Forland and the Forlandsund form a geologically complex mosaic. The island consists mainly of metamorphic rock ( slate , phyllite , carbonates, etc.), which appears here as an elongated tectonic eyrie .
landscape
A saddle-shaped mountain in the south is separated from the mountainous north by an extensive plain, so that from a distance you quickly get the impression that there are two islands. The wild alpine mountain landscape in the north reaches heights of over 1000 m several times, whereby the Monacofjellet is the highest mountain at 1084 m. Prins Karls Forland is heavily glaciated in the northeast. There is usually a piece of flat land between the mountains and the coast. There are no protected bays.
Flora and fauna
The flora is quite sparse in large areas; the tundra only becomes bright green in the vicinity of bird cliffs . There are large colonies of sea birds on the steep slopes . In addition, Prins Karls Forland has the world's northernmost seal colony and the only resting places for walruses in western Svalbard.
history
Prins Karls Forland was one of the first regions of Svalbard, which its discoverer Willem Barents sighted in 1596. Also have whalers , Pomors and Trapper left their distinct marks there. In 1906, 1907 and 1909, the Scottish polar explorer William Speirs Bruce explored and mapped the island and named its highest point (1084 m) after his sponsor, the Prince of Monaco . The mountain bears the name Monacofjellet to this day. The island is named after Charles I (England) (1600–1649), Prince of Wales , later King of England .
Forlandet National Park
Prins Karls Forland is a national park. There are two bird reserves there, which cannot be entered from May 15th to August 15th. All technical interventions, leaving rubbish, disturbing or introducing animals are prohibited anywhere on the island. The same goes for plants. Furthermore, the island is not allowed to be driven on with motorized vehicles.
photos
Prins Karls Forland, June 2017
Prins-Karls-Forland with walrus colony, June 2017
Individual evidence
- ^ Prins Karls Forland . In: The Place Names of Svalbard (first edition 1942). Norsk Polarinstitutt , Oslo 2001, ISBN 82-90307-82-9 (English, Norwegian).
- ↑ Monacofjellet . In: The Place Names of Svalbard (first edition 1942). Norsk Polarinstitutt , Oslo 2001, ISBN 82-90307-82-9 (English, Norwegian).
Web links
- Prins Karls Forland . In: The Place Names of Svalbard (first edition 1942). Norsk Polarinstitutt , Oslo 2001, ISBN 82-90307-82-9 (English, Norwegian).