Qasigiannguit

Qasigiannguit
Christianshåb

Aerial view of Qasigiannguit
Qasigiannguit

Location within Greenland

Coordinates: 68°49′12.52″N 51°11′35.67″W / 68.8201444°N 51.1932417°WCoordinates: 68°49′12.52″N 51°11′35.67″W / 68.8201444°N 51.1932417°W
State  Kingdom of Denmark
Constituent country  Greenland
Municipality Qaasuitsup
Founded 1734
Population (2013)
 • Total 1,171[1]
Time zone UTC-03
Postal code 3951

Qasigiannguit,[2] formerly Christianshåb,[3] is a town located in western Greenland on the southeastern shore of Disko Bay in the Qaasuitsup municipality. With 1,171 inhabitants in 2013,[1] it is the thirteenth-largest town in Greenland. The main industry is shrimp and halibut fishing.

History

The settlement was founded as a trading post for Jacob Severin's company in 1734[4] and named Christianshaab in honor of King Christian VI of Denmark.[5] The name was sometimes anglicized as Christian's Hope.[6]

Paul Egede's former residence is Greenland's oldest surviving wooden building. It was completed on 25 July 1734[7] and moved to its present site in 1806 owing to the heavy wind at its original location across the bay. In 1997, a museum was officially opened in the Egede house. In the summer of 1999, an archaeological discovery provided the museum with a collection of finds from different prehistoric cultures.[8]

Transport

Air

During the winter, Air Greenland operates air services from the town heliport to Ilulissat, Qeqertarsuaq on Disko Island and Aasiaat.[9]

Sea

During summer and autumn, when the waters of Disko Bay are navigable, communication between settlements is by sea only, serviced by Diskoline.[10] The ferry links Qasigiannguit with Ilulissat, Aasiaat, Ikamiut, Akunnaaq, and Qeqertarsuaq.

Population

With 1,171 inhabitants as of 2013, Qasigiannguit is the fourth-largest town in the Qaasuitsup municipality.[1] The town is steadily depopulating, with the population having decreased by more than 27% relative to the 1990 levels and by nearly 17% relative to the 2000 levels.[11]

Qasigiannguit population dynamics
Qasigiannguit population growth dynamics, 1991-2010. (Source: Statistics Greenland)[11]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Greenland in Figures 2013 (PDF). Statistics Greenland. ISBN 978-87-986787-7-9. ISSN 1602-5709. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  2. ↑ The pre-1973 spelling was Kasigianguit. It is also sometimes written as Qasigianguit.
  3. ↑ The pre-1948 spelling was Christianshaab.
  4. ↑ Marquardt, Ole. "Change and Continuity in Denmark's Greenland Policy" in The Oldenburg Monarchy: An Underestimated Empire?. Verlag Ludwig (Kiel), 2006.
  5. ↑ Del, Anden. "Grønland som del af den bibelske fortælling – en 1700-tals studie" ["Greenland as Part of the Biblical Narrative – a Study of the 18th-Century"]. (Danish)
  6. ↑ i.a., Lieber, Francis & al. Encyclopædia Americana: A Popular Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, Literature, History, Politics and Biography. "Greenland". B.B. Mussey & Co., 1854.
  7. ↑ O'Carroll, Etain (2005). Greenland and the Arctic. Lonely Planet. p. 181. ISBN 1-74059-095-3.
  8. ↑ Museum.
  9. ↑ "Booking system". Air Greenland. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
  10. ↑ Diskoline timetable
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Statistics Greenland, Population in localities