If you’ve ever read that there’s a town in Norway where “death is illegal,” you’ve probably landed on Longyearbyen the main settlement of Svalbard, sitting at 78° North, closer to the North Pole than most people ever get in their lifetime.
But here’s the twist: it’s not illegal to die. What’s effectively “not allowed” is something more specific and somehow more chilling:
You can’t be buried there (in the usual way).
That single detail is what turned a practical Arctic rule into one of the internet’s favorite myths.
So… what’s actually banned?
Longyearbyen has a cemetery, and it’s real. The problem is the ground: permafrost soil that stays frozen year-round. In places like Svalbard, permafrost can prevent bodies from decomposing normally. That’s not just a creepy fact for a thriller plot; it creates real public-health and environmental concerns.
According to widely cited local accounts, new burials largely stopped around the 1950s, after authorities realized decomposition wasn’t happening as expected. Since then, people who die are typically transported to mainland Norway for burial or cremation, and ash burials may be possible with permission.
In other words: death happens. Burial doesn’t (the normal way).
That’s how a practical policy became a headline-ready legend.
The “old viruses” fear: myth, exaggeration, or real risk?
This is where Longyearbyen gets really cinematic.
The town’s cemetery is famous partly because of the 1918 influenza pandemic. Researchers have investigated permafrost-preserved remains in the region to better understand the virus—one reason the story of “bodies preserved in ice” spread worldwide.
Does that mean Longyearbyen is a ticking biological time bomb? Not exactly. But scientists do take the broader question seriously: as permafrost thaws, long-frozen biological material can be exposed, and Arctic archaeology is already showing how thawing ground changes what gets revealed (and what gets destroyed).
So the internet version (“one funeral will release a zombie virus”) is dramatic yet it’s rooted in a real, science-backed idea: permafrost changes the rules of nature, and warming temperatures complicate those rules.
The other “not allowed” reality: giving birth (and getting seriously ill)
Longyearbyen also has limited healthcare services, which is why another rumor travels with the “death isn’t allowed” story: “birth isn’t allowed either.”
Again, it’s not a legal ban it’s logistics.
The local hospital has no delivery room and limited diagnostic capacity, and residents are often advised to travel to the mainland for certain types of care.
This is part of what makes Longyearbyen feel like a real-life simulation: it looks like a normal town cafés, school, culture but the safety net you take for granted elsewhere simply isn’t built for full-scale medical care at the top of the world.
Polar bears: the reason people carry protection outside town
Now for the detail that turns this place from “quirky Arctic settlement” into “I can’t believe this is real”:
Outside the settlements, you must be equipped with suitable means to scare off polar bears and authorities recommend firearms.
That doesn’t mean everyone casually walks around town with a loaded rifle. It means that the moment you leave the safe zones—snowmobile routes, hikes, remote cabins polar bear precautions become non-negotiable, and they’re regulated with clear guidance.
“More polar bears than people” is that true?
You’ll hear it said a lot. The reality depends on what you’re counting (the town vs. the whole archipelago vs. the wider Barents Sea region). Estimates for polar bear populations in the surrounding region have been in the thousands, while Svalbard’s human population is only a few thousand. So the vibe of the claim is right: humans are vastly outnumbered by wilderness even if the exact “more bears than people” line is more slogan than statistic.
Why this story keeps going viral
Because it hits three irresistible themes at once:
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A rule that sounds impossible (“you can’t die here”)—but is rooted in reality.
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A science-meets-horror detail (permafrost preservation and disease research).
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An everyday danger you don’t see elsewhere (polar bear safety rules).
It’s the rare “myth” where the truth is still wild enough to keep the legend alive.
If you ever want to visit: the quick reality check
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Longyearbyen is the main gateway to Svalbard and a major starting point for Arctic tourism.
- Svalbard has a unique immigration status (visa-free to stay there, but travel via mainland Norway may require Schengen rules depending on your passport).
- Outside town = safety protocols (guided tours exist for a reason).