The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is a secure seed bank located on the Svalbard archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, about 1,300 kilometers from the North Pole. It was established in 2008 to preserve a wide variety of seeds from around the world, ensuring that they can be used to restore crops in case of disasters, climate change, or other threats to global food security. The facility is built into a mountain and can withstand natural disasters, making it a safe haven for seeds. It is often referred to as the "Doomsday Vault" because it serves as a backup for gene banks worldwide, safeguarding the genetic diversity of agricultural crops.