Misplaced Pages

#38961

20-429: The island's Greenlandic name Qeqertarsuaq means The Large Island (from qeqertaq = island). The island has a length of about 160 km (100 mi), rising to an average height of 975 m (3,199 ft), peaking at 1,919 m (6,296 ft). The port of Qeqertarsuaq (named after the island, and also known as Godhavn) lies on its southern coast. Blæsedalen valley is north of Qeqertarsuaq. The island

40-462: A dog sled rental. During the winter, Air Greenland operates air services from Qeqertarsuaq Heliport to Ilulissat , Qasigiannguit , and Aasiaat . When the waters of Disko Bay are navigable during summer and autumn, the heliport is closed and communication between settlements occurs only by sea via Diskoline . The ferry links Qeqertarsuaq with Ilulissat, Aasiaat, Qasigiannguit, and Kitsissuarsuit . With 839 inhabitants in 2020, Qeqertarsuaq

60-591: A slope of the mountain Niiortuut ( 70°20′56″N 53°10′41″W  /  70.349°N 053.178°W  / 70.349; -053.178  ( Niiortuut ) ) on the southern coast of the Nuussuaq Peninsula generated a tsunami which traveled 30 kilometres (19 mi) across Sullorsuaq Strait and struck Qullissat, where it had a run-up height of 2.2 to 2.7 metres (7 ft 3 in to 8 ft 10 in) and inflicted damage on buildings. By 1966, Qullissat

80-509: Is Nuuk , the capital, with 19,900 inhabitants. In Greenland, two kinds of settled areas are distinguished: illoqarfik (Greenlandic for 'town'; by in Danish) and nunaqarfik (Greenlandic for 'settlement'; bygd in Danish). The difference between the two decreased since the new administrative units were introduced in 2009, with the influence of previous municipality centers decreasing. As of October 2021, Greenland has 56,523 people living along

100-468: Is associated with a rich diversity of other gastrotrichs like Chaetonotus atrox , Halichaetonotus sp., Mesodasys sp., Paradasys sp., Tetranchyroderma sp., Thaumastoderma sp. and Turbanella sp. Qeqertarsuaq Qeqertarsuaq ( Greenlandic pronunciation: [qɜqɜtːɑsːuɑq] , historically known as Godhavn ) is a port and town in Qeqertalik municipality , located on

120-428: Is called Sermersuaq ("Grand Glacier"). Sermersuaq is situated rather far from the coast and is difficult to reach in the summer. Lyngmarksbræen ("Lyngmark Glacier") is much smaller, covering only about 10 km, but can be reached more easily in a few hours' walk. From Lyngmarksfjeld, a panoramic view of Disko Bay allows viewers to see the icebergs at Ilulissat almost 100 kilometers (62 mi) away. Qeqertarsuaq has

140-596: Is not of meteoric origin. There are numerous hot springs on the island. The microscopic animal Limnognathia , the only known member of its phylum, was discovered in the Isunngua spring. Several studies on the meiofauna show high marine interstitial diversity in Disko Island. For instance, the gastrotrich species Diuronotus aspetos is found in Iterdla and Kigdlugssaitsut and is so far reported only in Disko Island. It

160-572: Is separated from Nuussuaq Peninsula in the northeast by the Sullorsuaq Strait . To the south of the island lies Disko Bay , an inlet bay of Baffin Bay. Research indicates that nine large tsunamigenic landslides struck Sullorsuaq Strait in prehistoric times during the Holocene , seven of them from the southern coast of the Nuussuaq Peninsula and two others from the northern coast of Disko Island. Seven of

180-422: Is to the north of the town. Kangerluk is the location where researchers found a "galloping" glacier in 1999 that moves up to 100 meters (330 ft) a day. Traces of settlement between five and six thousand years ago have been found at Qeqertarsuaq. The settlers were paleo-Eskimos wandering south. During the 18th century, the first whalers came to Qeqertarsuaq, where they found a suitable anchorage. The town

200-548: The National Council of Greenland . With the end of government positions in town, the local economy focused more directly on hunting and fishing. On 1 January 2009, the former Qeqertarsuaq municipality was merged into the new Qaasuitsup municipality. This in turn was partitioned on 1 January 2018, at which time Qeqertarsuaq became part of the new municipality of Qeqertalik . Many of the flat basaltic mountains found on Disko Island are covered with perpetual snow. The largest

220-512: The Red paid the first recorded visit to Disko Island at some time between 982 and 985. The island was used as a base for summer hunting and fishing by Norse colonists. The coal mining town of Qullissat was founded on the northeast coast of Disko Island in 1924. By 1952 it was a cultural hub and the third-largest settlement in Greenland, with a population of 995. On 15 December 1952, a major landslide on

SECTION 10

#1732858150039

240-399: The coast as far as 100 metres (328 ft) inland. Mineral deposits, fossil finds and geological formations add to interest in the area. One of the interesting geological features is the native iron found at the island. A 22-ton (44,000 lbs; 20 tonnes) lump mixture of iron and iron carbide ( cohenite ) has been found. There are only a few places on earth where native iron is found which

260-501: The fight against the spreading of distemper . In Godhavn, they founded a kayak school for boys and a sewing school for girls. The Councils of Northern and Southern Greenland were summoned to a meeting in Godhavn on 3 May 1940. Following this meeting, administration for the entire island was concentrated in Godthåb. The Chief Administrative Office was abolished in 1950 at the establishment of

280-651: The island's inhabitants. From an early date, Godhavn shared the administration of Greenland with Godthåb (modern Nuuk ). Godhavn served as the capital for North Greenland while Godthåb directed South Greenland . In 1862, a new law on municipalities was passed and the so-called Directions were introduced in Greenland. The primary task of the Directions was the administration of the means set apart for social purposes: support for widows, orphans, and others in need. The Directions also functioned as inferior courts in case of theft and other petty crimes, and took an active part in

300-411: The landslides apparently occurred between about 8020 BC and 6520 BC with unidentified tsunamigenic effects. The two most recent prehistoric landslides generated megatsunamis which struck Alluttoq Island , the first sometime around 5650 BC with a run-up height of 41 to 66 metres (135 to 217 ft), and another that struck around 5350 BC with a run-up height of 45 to 70 metres (148 to 230 ft). Erik

320-615: The south coast of Disko Island on the west coast of Greenland . Founded in 1773, the town is now home to a campus of the University of Copenhagen known as Arctic Station . Qeqertarsuaq is the Kalaallisut name for Disko Island and is also now used for several other islands on Greenland, including those formerly known as Upernavik and Herbert Island . Qeqertarsuaq means 'the big island' in Kalaallisut ( Danish : den store ø ). In 2020,

340-504: The town had 839 inhabitants. The remainder of the population of the island (less than 50 people) lives in the Kangerluk settlement, a few hours by boat to the northwest. The total area of Disko Island and its satellite islands (mainly Qeqertarsuatsiaq Island 11 km (7 mi) northwest of the northern coast and Qeqertaq on the southwest coast at the mouth of Disko Fjord) is 9,700 km (3,750 sq mi). Blæsedalen valley

360-464: Was founded as Godhavn by the whaler Svend Sandgreen in 1773. The name was sometimes anglicized as Guthaven and the settlement was also known as Lievely or Leifly . It served as the northernmost point in the enforcement of the Danish rights to whaling in the region. Whaling has been of great importance to the town over the past two centuries. Hunting and fishing are still the primary occupations for

380-473: Was the sixth-largest town in Greenland with a population of 1,400, but it was abandoned in 1972, leaving the northern coast of Disko Island uninhabited. On 21 November 2000, a large landslide at Paatuut on the southern coast of the Nuussuaq Peninsula generated a megatsunami with a run-up height of 50 metres (164 ft) near the landslide and 28 metres (92 ft) at the former site of Qullissat, 20 kilometres (11 nmi; 12 mi) away, where it inundated

400-510: Was the smallest town in the then-municipality of Qaasuitsup. The population has decreased by more than 22% relative to the 1990 levels and by nearly 15% relative to the 2000 levels. List of cities and towns in Greenland This is a list of cities and towns in Greenland as of 2021. The term 'city' is used loosely for any populated area in Greenland, given that the most populated place

#38961