International Perspectives

Abstract

The Norwegian city of Tromso is located 300 km north of the Arctic Circle at 69.7° N, the same latitude as the northernmost North American city, Barrow, in Alaska (Fig. 1). Often dubbed “the Gateway to the Arctic,” Tromso has played a central role in the history of arctic polar exploration. Many of the great explorers, including Nansen and Amundsen, set out from Tromso for their dramatic expeditions in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. (1) Tromso and the surrounding region has an arctic climate, with long winters and short summers. The sunset on November 20 marks the onset of the Arctic darkness (Fig. 2), which lasts until the sun rises over the horizon again on January 21. However, due to the Gulf Stream, the winters are not particularly cold in this coastal region. In the temperate summer, the midnight sun may be observed from May 21 to July 21. The rich fishing resources along the coast, today supplemented with modern aquaculture, are still a major source of income for people in this region of Norway. Figure 1. Map of the Arctic depicting the Arctic Circle. The neonatal intensive care unit in Tromso is located at the same latitude as the north of Russian Siberia and the northern part of Alaska and Canada. Figure 2. The polar light (aurora borealis) seen above the city of Tromso during wintertime. Copyright Bjornar G. Hansen, Visit Tromso AS. Reprinted with permission. Tromso is the largest city in northern Norway, with 66,500 inhabitants, and hosts the northernmost University Hospital in the world. The catchment area of the neonatal service at the University Hospital of North Norway (UNN) is from the city of Narvik in the south to the Norwegian settlements on Svalbard in the north (Fig. 3). The area is located entirely above the Arctic Circle, comprises …