Ilulissat
Encyclopedia
Ilulissat is a town in the Qaasuitsup
municipality in western Greenland
, located approximately 200 km (124.3 mi) north of the Arctic Circle
. With the population of 4,546 as of 2010, it is the third-largest settlement in Greenland, after Nuuk
and Sisimiut
.
In direct translation, Ilulissat is the Greenlandic word for "the iceberg
s". Ilulissat is Greenland's most popular tourist destination on account of its proximity to the picturesque Ilulissat Icefjord. Tourism is now the town's principal industry.
World Heritage Site
in 2004.
Ilulissat Airport
serves Ilulissat, with connections to towns in northwestern, western Greenland and Reykjavik
, Reykjavik Airport
in Iceland
.
coastal ferry links Ilulissat with Sisimiut
, Nuuk
, and other towns and settlements on the western and southwestern coast of Greenland.
was held in Ilulissat between 27 and 29 May 2008. It was hosted by Per Stig Møller
, the Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Hans Enoksen
, the Greenlandic Prime Minister. The joint meeting between Canada
, Denmark, Norway
, Russia
and the United States
was held to discuss key issues relating to the Arctic Ocean
and climate change
.
The Ilulissat Declaration
arose from the conference. One of its stated aims was blockage of any "new comprehensive international legal regime to govern the Arctic Ocean". An additional pledge for "the orderly settlement of any possible overlapping claims," was expected as the conference invitation originated in 2007 as a consequence of several jurisdictional disputes, including Hans Island
and Arktika 2007
.
who play in the Coca Cola GM
, Greenland's top football league. Nagdlunguaq-48, who play all their league games in Nuuk, have won the championship ten times.
Qaasuitsup
Qaasuitsup is a new municipality in Greenland, operational from 1 January 2009. As of January 2010 its population is 17,749. The administrative center of the municipality is in Ilulissat...
municipality in western Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
, located approximately 200 km (124.3 mi) north of the Arctic Circle
Arctic Circle
The Arctic Circle is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. For Epoch 2011, it is the parallel of latitude that runs north of the Equator....
. With the population of 4,546 as of 2010, it is the third-largest settlement in Greenland, after Nuuk
Nuuk
Nuuk, is the capital of Greenland, the northernmost capital in North America and the largest city in Greenland. Located in the Nuup Kangerlua fjord, the city lies on the eastern shore of the Labrador Sea and on the west coast of Sermersooq. Nuuk is the largest cultural and economic center in...
and Sisimiut
Sisimiut
Sisimiut is a town in central-western Greenland, located on the coast of Davis Strait, approximately north of Nuuk. It is the administrative center of the Qeqqata Municipality and the second-largest town in Greenland, with a population of 5,460 people as of 2010. The site of the present-day town...
.
In direct translation, Ilulissat is the Greenlandic word for "the iceberg
Iceberg
An iceberg is a large piece of ice from freshwater that has broken off from a snow-formed glacier or ice shelf and is floating in open water. It may subsequently become frozen into pack ice...
s". Ilulissat is Greenland's most popular tourist destination on account of its proximity to the picturesque Ilulissat Icefjord. Tourism is now the town's principal industry.
Ilulissat Icefjord
Ilulissat Icefjord , a fjord southeast of Ilulissat, was declared a UNESCOUNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
in 2004.
Transport
Air
Ilulissat has an international airport located 2.8 km (1.7 mi) to the northeast of the town center. Built in 1983.Ilulissat Airport
Ilulissat Airport
Ilulissat Airport is an airport located near the shores of Disko Bay, north-east of Ilulissat, a town in the Qaasuitsup municipality in western Greenland. It was built in 1983, replacing the old heliport.- Airlines and destinations :...
serves Ilulissat, with connections to towns in northwestern, western Greenland and Reykjavik
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
, Reykjavik Airport
Reykjavík Airport
Reykjavík Airport Reykjavík Airport Reykjavík Airport (Icelandic: Reykjavíkurflugvöllur, is the chiefly domestic airport serving Reykjavík, Iceland. The airport lies two kilometres from Reykjavík's city centre. Possessing rather short runways, it normally only serves flights within Iceland and to...
in Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
.
- Connections to Iceland, started from April 2011
Operators by Air
- Air GreenlandAir GreenlandAir Greenland A/S is the flag carrier airline of Greenland, jointly owned by the government of Greenland, the SAS Group, and the government of Denmark...
operates further connections to domestic destinations. - Air IcelandAir IcelandAir Iceland is a regional airline with its head office on the property of Reykjavík Airport in Reykjavík, Iceland. It operates scheduled services to domestic destinations and to Greenland. Its main bases are Reykjavík Airport and Akureyri Airport...
operates flights to IcelandIcelandIceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
, connecting IlulissatIlulissatIlulissat is a town in the Qaasuitsup municipality in western Greenland, located approximately north of the Arctic Circle. With the population of 4,546 as of 2010, it is the third-largest settlement in Greenland, after Nuuk and Sisimiut....
to other parts of the world.
Sea
Arctic Umiaq LineArctic Umiaq Line
Arctic Umiaq Line A/S or Arctic Umiaq is a passenger and freight line in Greenland. Its name derives from the Greenlandic word for a traditional Inuit boat, the umiaq. The sea connection provided by Arctic Umiaq is a lifeline for the entire western and southwestern Greenland...
coastal ferry links Ilulissat with Sisimiut
Sisimiut
Sisimiut is a town in central-western Greenland, located on the coast of Davis Strait, approximately north of Nuuk. It is the administrative center of the Qeqqata Municipality and the second-largest town in Greenland, with a population of 5,460 people as of 2010. The site of the present-day town...
, Nuuk
Nuuk
Nuuk, is the capital of Greenland, the northernmost capital in North America and the largest city in Greenland. Located in the Nuup Kangerlua fjord, the city lies on the eastern shore of the Labrador Sea and on the west coast of Sermersooq. Nuuk is the largest cultural and economic center in...
, and other towns and settlements on the western and southwestern coast of Greenland.
Notable residents
- Knud Rasmussen (1879–1933), noted polarPolar regionEarth's polar regions are the areas of the globe surrounding the poles also known as frigid zones. The North Pole and South Pole being the centers, these regions are dominated by the polar ice caps, resting respectively on the Arctic Ocean and the continent of Antarctica...
explorerExplorationExploration is the act of searching or traveling around a terrain for the purpose of discovery of resources or information. Exploration occurs in all non-sessile animal species, including humans...
and anthropologistAnthropologyAnthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
, referred to as the "father of EskimoEskimoEskimos or Inuit–Yupik peoples are indigenous peoples who have traditionally inhabited the circumpolar region from eastern Siberia , across Alaska , Canada, and Greenland....
logy". Born in Ilulissat, Rasmussen was the first man to cross the Northwest PassageNorthwest PassageThe Northwest Passage is a sea route through the Arctic Ocean, along the northern coast of North America via waterways amidst the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans...
via dog sledDog sledA dog sled is a sled pulled by one or more sled dogs used to travel over ice and through snow. Numerous types of sleds are used, depending on their function. They can be used for dog sled racing.-History:...
. He remains well known in Greenland, Denmark and among Canadian Inuit. - Jørgen BrønlundJørgen BrønlundJørgen Brønlund , was a Greenlandic polar explorer, educator, and catechist. He participated in two Danish expeditions to Greenland in the early 20th century.-Early years:...
(1877–1907), was also a polar explorer born in Ilulissat, He grew up with Rasmussen and accompanied him, along with Harald MoltkeHarald MoltkeHarald Moltke was a Danish painter and author, who was educated on The Royal Danish Academy of Art 1889–1893. Moltke participated in several expeditions as draughtsman, for instance to Greenland in 1898 and 1902–04...
and Ludvig Mylius-ErichsenLudvig Mylius-ErichsenLudvig Mylius-Erichsen was a Danish author, ethnologist, and explorer, from Ringkøbing. He was most notably an explorer of Greenland. With Count Harald Moltke and Knud Rasmussen he formed the Danish Literary expedition to West Greenland, and in the early stages discovered near Evigheds Fiord two...
, on the Danish Literary Expedition (1902–1904) to examine InuitInuitThe Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...
culture. In 1906 he joined Mylius-Erichsen and Peter Høegh Hagen on the Danmark-ekspeditionen to map the northernmost regions of Greenland. Jørgen Brønlund Fjord in Peary LandPeary LandPeary Land is a peninsula in northern Greenland, extending into the Arctic Ocean. It reaches from Victoria Fjord in the west to Independence Fjord in the south and southeast, and to the Arctic Ocean in the north, with Cape Morris Jesup, the northernmost point of Greenland's mainland, and Cape...
is named after him. - Jens RosingJens RosingJens Christian Rosing was a Greenlandic artist notable for designing the coat of arms of Greenland, many Greenlandic postage stamps, as well as illustrated children's books and water colors.- History :...
(1925–2008), a Greenlandic artist notable for designing the coat of armsCoat of armsA coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
of Greenland, numerous Greenlandic postage stamps, as well as illustrated children's books and water colours − was born in Ilulissat.
Population
With 4,546 inhabitants as of 2010, Ilulissat is the largest town in the Qaasuitsup municipality. The population increased over 8 percent relative to 1990 levels, but levelled off at around the current level in the 2000s.Arctic Ocean Conference
The Arctic Ocean ConferenceArctic Ocean Conference
The inaugural Arctic Ocean Conference was held in Ilulissat, Greenland May 27 — May 29, 2008. Five countries, Canada, Denmark, Norway, Russia and the United States, discussed key issues relating to the Arctic Ocean. The meeting was significant because of its plans for environmental regulation,...
was held in Ilulissat between 27 and 29 May 2008. It was hosted by Per Stig Møller
Per Stig Møller
Per Stig Møller was Culture Minister of Denmark. He has been a member of Folketinget for the Conservative People's Party since 1984, and was Minister for the Environment from December 18, 1990 to January 24, 1993 as part of the Cabinet of Poul Schlüter IV and Foreign Minister from November 27,...
, the Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Hans Enoksen
Hans Enoksen
Hans Enoksen is a Greenlandic politician who served as the fourth Prime Minister of Greenland from 2002 to 2009.A Greenlandic monoglot, he has been a member of the Parliament of Greenland since 1995...
, the Greenlandic Prime Minister. The joint meeting between Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Denmark, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
was held to discuss key issues relating to the Arctic Ocean
Arctic Ocean
The Arctic Ocean, located in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Arctic north polar region, is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major oceanic divisions...
and climate change
Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
.
The Ilulissat Declaration
Ilulissat Declaration
The Ilulissat Declaration was announced on May 28, 2008 by five Arctic circumpolar nations meeting at the political level during the Arctic Ocean Conference in Ilulissat, Greenland to discuss the Arctic ocean, climate change, the protection of the marine environment, maritime safety, and division...
arose from the conference. One of its stated aims was blockage of any "new comprehensive international legal regime to govern the Arctic Ocean". An additional pledge for "the orderly settlement of any possible overlapping claims," was expected as the conference invitation originated in 2007 as a consequence of several jurisdictional disputes, including Hans Island
Hans Island
Hans Island is a small, uninhabited barren knoll measuring , located in the centre of the Kennedy Channel of Nares Strait—the strait that separates Ellesmere Island from northern Greenland and connects Baffin Bay with the Lincoln Sea...
and Arktika 2007
Arktika 2007
Arktika 2007 was a 2007 expedition in which Russia performed the first ever crewed descent to the ocean bottom at the North Pole, as part of research related to the 2001 Russian territorial claim, one of many territorial claims in the Arctic, made possible, in part, because of Arctic shrinkage...
.
Sports
The town is home to Nagdlunguaq-48Nagdlunguaq-48
Nagdlunguaq-48 is a sports club from Greenland based in Ilulissat. However, all league games are played in the national stadium in Nuuk.N-48 have been national football champions for the last two seasons...
who play in the Coca Cola GM
Coca Cola GM
Coca Cola GM is the top football division in Greenland and it was created in 1958. Since 1971 it is organized by the Football Association of Greenland....
, Greenland's top football league. Nagdlunguaq-48, who play all their league games in Nuuk, have won the championship ten times.