Kangaatsiaq

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Location of the Kangaatsiaq municipality in Greenland.

Kangaatsiaq (old spelling Kangâtsiaq) is a town in West Greenland and also the administrative centre of the municipality of Kangaatsiaq.

Image:GL Kangaatsiaq.gif

The municipal coat of arms.

The town of Kangaatsiaq received town status as recent as 1986, though as a settlement it has existed much longer.

Location of the town is 68°18′27″N, 53°27′49″W. The town itself has 669 inhabitants (July 2005), and the entire municipality has 1482 inhabitants, with the rest living in the settlements of Attu, Niaqornaarsuk, Ikerasaarsuk og Iginniarfik.

1 Economy
2 Facilities
3 Transport
4 Wildlife
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Economy

Fishing and seal hunting are the main sources of income for the residents. Kangaatsiaq has a fish factory producing dried fish and shrimp.

[edit] Facilities

Kangaatsiaq town.

The town of Kangaatsiaq has a supermarket, kindergarten with 26 children, and a primary school (1st to 10th grade) with 150 pupils. A hostel called 'The Lodge' with space for six people is the only accommodation for tourists.

[edit] Transport

Kangaatsiaq can be reached all year by Helicopter from Aasiaat, or by ferry up to four times a week from other destinations near Disko Island.

[edit] Wildlife

The area has a rich arctic wildlife including reindeer, arctic fox, and arctic hare. Marine mammals include Ringed Seal, Harbor Seal, Hooded Seal, Bearded Seal, Harp Seal, Humpback whale (typically in summer), Minke Whale, Fin Whale, Narwhal, and Beluga. When the sea ice comes, sometimes Walrus and Polar bear can be seen.

Birdlife includes ravens, ptarmigans, various species of seagulls, eiders, king eiders, guillemots, falcons, eagles, snowy owls, snow buntings, arctic terns, and more.

[edit] References

Precambrian geology of the northern Nagssugtoqidian orogen, West Greenland: Mapping in the Kangaatsiaq area. Geology of Greenland Survey Bulletin 191, pp.13–23 (2002).