Here is a longer and more detailed version of the translation, keeping the meaning but expanding it smoothly:
It turns out that somewhere on our planet there exists a truly extraordinary place with rules that seem almost unbelievable to most of us — here, people are not allowed to give birth or to die. More precisely, burials are forbidden, and bringing a pregnancy to full term within the settlement is also not permitted.
This unusual place is called Longyearbyen, the largest inhabited town and the administrative center of Norway’s Svalbard archipelago. Although this remote Arctic community attracts very few tourists, a little over a thousand residents live here year-round, enduring conditions that most people would find extreme. It is specifically in Longyearbyen that the strict ban on giving birth and burying people is enforced.
The explanation for these unusual rules lies in the town’s location. Longyearbyen sits far beyond the Arctic Circle and is known for its brutally harsh climate. The region is dominated by permafrost — soil that remains completely frozen all year long. This permanently frozen ground prevents buried bodies from decomposing naturally. As a result, viruses and bacteria can remain preserved for decades, potentially posing serious public health risks if they were ever released.
Because of this, local authorities long ago decided to prohibit burials in the area. Expectant mothers close to their due dates are transferred to mainland Norway, where they can safely give birth in hospital conditions. Likewise, residents who are critically ill are also evacuated to the mainland, since passing away in Longyearbyen is, in practice, impossible under local regulations.
Still, people living in this Arctic town have adapted by creating traditions that allow them to honor and remember those who have died. Instead of burial services, families and friends hold farewell ceremonies and gather in specially created communal memorial spaces where memories and stories can be shared.
Life in Longyearbyen comes with other unusual rules as well. For example, residents are required to carry firearms whenever they go outdoors, because it’s entirely possible to encounter a polar bear right on the street. Another surprising regulation is that keeping cats as pets is strictly forbidden, as they could disrupt the fragile local wildlife populations — especially the birds.
Despite all these unusual restrictions, Longyearbyen continues to be home to a resilient and tight-knit community.
But the question remains: could you imagine living in such a place?
