SVALBARD, NORWAY

This stunning field of white cottongrass lit by midnight sun can be found on Svalbard, an archipelago (group of islands) that lies midway between Norway and the North Pole. Devoid of any trees, Svalbard’s plants (such as these) are all the more striking on the landscape. The greenest vegetation is typically found near bird colonies where an abundance of beautiful flowers usually lies.

Although technically part of the kingdom of Norway, Svalbard is protected by a 1920 treaty that stipulates the territory cannot be used for military purposes and makes Norway responsible for preserving the islands’ natural environment. Svalbard has fewer than 3,000 inhabitants – its main industries are tourism and environmental and ecological research and its citizens hail from more than 50 different countries.

Svalbard is not the most hospitable place to be born – or even die. There are no hospitals for pregnant women, and burials have not been allowed in the archipelago since the 1950s because the islands’ permafrost – a thick layer of ground that remains completely frozen all year – can sometimes push corpses out if they are not buried deep enough.

The permafrost makes perfect conditions, however, for hosting Svalbard’s Global Seed Vault. The 100m-deep vault is set into a mountainside and contains duplicates of seed samples from the world’s crop collections in a facility built to withstand natural disaster. In place since 2008, the vault’s intention is to prevent the extinction of any crop.

VISIT MiNDFOOD.COM

A Norwegian company is giving travellers a unique chance to get close to nature in Norway’s spectacular mountain ranges. The ‘Birdbox’ features minimalistic Scandinavian design to highlight the surrounding scenery. mindfood.com/norway-birdbox