Billefjorden

Billefjorden is the central fjord of the three branching from innermost Isfjorden to the northeast. It is 30km long and 5-8km wide. Billefjorden lies between Dickson Land to the northwest and Bünsow Land in the southeast. Located on its northwestern shore is the former Russian mining community of Pyramiden (abandoned in 1998). To the northeast is Nordenskiöldbreen.

The fjord is named after the Dutch whaler Cornelius Claeszoon Bille, who is mentioned as being active in 1675 by the Dutchman Cornelius Gisbert Zorgdrager. Originally another bay (now known as Adventfjorden) had been labeled as "Klass Billen Bay", but Dunér and Nordenskiöld moved it to its present location.

References

*Conway, W. M. 1906. No Man’s Land: A History of Spitsbergen from Its Discovery in 1596 to the Beginning of the Scientific Exploration of the Country. Cambridge: At the University Press.

* Norwegian Polar Institute [http://miljo.npolar.no/placenames/pages/searchE.asp Place Names of Svalbard Database]