Ilulissat

Ilulissat
Jakobshavn
—  City  —
Ilulissat, old town and harbour
Motto: The town by the Ice-fjord
Ilulissat
Location within Greenland
Coordinates:
Country Greenland
Municipality Qaasuitsup
Founded January 12, 1742
Incorporated 1741
Government
 • Mayor Jess Svane (Siumut)
Population (2011)
 • City 4,606 (3rd Largest in Greenland)
 • Metro 5,018 (Including the 4 villages Saqqaq, Qeqertaq, Oqaatsut and Ilimanaq)
Time zone Western Greenland Standard (UTC-3)
 • Summer (DST) Western Greenland Daylight (UTC-2)
Postal code 3952

Ilulissat (Danish: Jakobshavn from founder Jakob Severin) is a town in the Qaasuitsup municipality in western Greenland, located approximately 200 km (120 mi) north of the Arctic Circle. With the population of 4,546 as of 2010,[1] it is the third-largest settlement in Greenland, after Nuuk and Sisimiut.

In direct translation, Ilulissat is the Greenlandic word for "the icebergs".[2] 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.

Contents

Ilulissat Icefjord

Ilulissat Icefjord (Kalaallisut: Ilulissat Kangerlua), a fjord southeast of Ilulissat, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site 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 serves Ilulissat, with connections to towns in northwestern, western Greenland and Reykjavik, Reykjavik Airport in Iceland.

Operators by Air

Sea

Arctic Umiaq Line coastal ferry links Ilulissat with Sisimiut, Nuuk, and other towns and settlements on the western and southwestern coast of Greenland.

Notable residents

Notable people

Population

With 4,546 inhabitants as of 2010, Ilulissat is the largest town in the Qaasuitsup municipality.[7] The population increased over 8 percent relative to 1990 levels, but levelled off at around the current level in the 2000s.

Ilulissat population growth dynamics in the last two decades. Source: Statistics Greenland[7]

Arctic Ocean Conference

The Arctic Ocean Conference 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.[8] 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.[9]

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.[10]

A panoramic view of Ilulissat in February 2006

Sports

The town is home to Nagdlunguaq-48 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.

Ilulissat in Pictures

References

  1. ^ Statistics Greenland, Greenland in Figures, 2010
  2. ^ "Ilulissat" (in Danish). Qaasuitsup Municipality. http://www.qaasuitsup.gl/da-DK/Om-kommunen/Byer-og-bygder/Ilulissat. Retrieved 11 July 2010. 
  3. ^ Jean Malaurie, 1982.
  4. ^ Knud Johan Victor Rasmussen, biography by Sam Alley. Minnesota State University.
  5. ^ Elizabeth Cruwys, 2003.
  6. ^ Famous sons
  7. ^ a b Statistics Greenland
  8. ^ Arctic Council (2008-05-26). "Conference on the Arctic Ocean". arctic-council.org. http://arctic-council.org/article/2008/5/conference_on_the_arctic_ocean. Retrieved 2008-06-06. 
  9. ^ "Greenland hosts Arctic sovereignty talks". Reuters. 27 May 2008. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKL2725401820080527. Retrieved 5 October 2010. 
  10. ^ Boswell, Randy (2008-05-28). "Conference could mark start of Arctic power struggle". canada.com. http://www.canada.com/topics/news/world/story.html?id=d0135cd8-c15a-48a3-9579-0df5f8e185c1. Retrieved 2008-06-06.