Uummannaq Fjord is a large fjord system in the northern part of western Greenland, the largest after Kangertittivaq fjord in eastern Greenland. It has a roughly south-east to west-north-west orientation, emptying into the Baffin Bay in the northwest.
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With the exception of the southwestern coast formed by the Nuussuaq Peninsula, Uummannaq fjord has a developed coastline, with many bays, islands, and peninsulas.
South to north:[1]
The following are the major islands of Uummannaq Fjord:[1]
Sheltered from the coastal winds by the high, glaciated mountains of the Nuussuaq Peninsula, the area of Uummannaq Fjord is considered the sunniest spot in Greenland.[3] Favourable weather conditions, good harbours, and proximity to the coastal route made the fjord system attractive to numerous southbound Inuit migrations in the past−the area has been settled and resettled for the last 4.500 years.[4]
Archaeological excavations in Qilakitsoq on the northeastern shore Nuussuaq Peninsula due south of Uummannaq Island revealed the existence of an ancient Arctic culture, later named the Saqqaq culture, which inhabited the area of west-central Greenland between 2500 BCE and 800 BCE.[5]
Recent DNA samples from human hair suggest that the ancient Saqqaq people came from Siberia about 5,500 years ago and independent of the migration that gave rise to the modern Native Americans and the Inuit.[6][7]
The main urban settlement today is Uummannaq, once an administrative center of a municipality which covered the entire catchment area of Uummannaq Fjord, and now part of the Qaasuitsup municipality of northwestern Greenland, the largest municipality in the country. Ikerasak, Illorsuit, Nuugaatsiaq, and Saattut are small island settlements, whereas Ukkusissat lies on the mainland in the inner parts of the fjord.
The northeastern coastline of Nuussuaq Peninsula is sparsely inhabited or uninhabited in the south, with Qaarsut and Niaqornat near the mouth of the fjord being the only settlements. Sigguup Nunaa peninsula and adjacent lands between the mouth of the fjord and Upernavik Archipelago in the north are uninhabited.
| Settlement | Latitude N | Longitude W | Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nuugaatsiaq | 71°32'06 | 53°12'45 | 94 | The northernmost settlement |
| Illorsuit | 71°14'30 | 53°34'00 | 99 | |
| Ukkusissat | 71°02'57 | 51°53'15 | 184 | |
| Saattut | 70°48'42 | 51°38'00 | 243 | |
| Niaqornat | 70°47'20 | 53°39'50 | 68 | The smallest settlement |
| Qaarsut | 70°43'55 | 52°38'15 | 200 | Host to the only airport in the area |
| Uummannaq | 70°40'29 | 52°07'35 | 1500 | The only town of any size and a cultural center |
| Ikerasak | 70°30'10 | 51°18'10 | 261 | The southernmost settlement |