Ilulissat

Ilulissat, formerly Jakobshavn or Jacobshaven,[4] is the municipal seat and largest town of the Avannaata municipality in western Greenland, located approximately 350 km (220 mi) north of the Arctic Circle. With the population of 4,670 as of 2020,[5] it is the third-largest city in Greenland, after Nuuk and Sisimiut. The city is home to almost as many sled-dogs as people.

"Jakobshavn" redirects here. For the glacier, see Jakobshavn Glacier.

Ilulissat

Jakobshavn
From upper left: Illumiut neighbourhood, Old town, Ilulissat Icefjord, Knud Rasmussen's Museum, Zion's Church
Ilulissat
Location within Greenland
Coordinates: 69°13′N 51°06′W
Sovereign state Kingdom of Denmark
Autonomous country Greenland
MunicipalityAvannaata
First mention15th century
City Status16th century
Area
 • City11.25 km2 (4.34 sq mi)
 • Metro
47.00 km2 (18.15 sq mi)
Highest elevation
2,010 m (6,590 ft)
Lowest elevation
1 m (3 ft)
Population
 (2020 (city, settlements))[2]
 • City4,670
 • Density420/km2 (1,100/sq mi)
 • Urban
4,491 (City of Ilulissat)
 • Metro
342 (Settlements: Ilimanaq, Oqaatsut, Qeqertaq and Saqqaq)
 • Metro density103.5/km2 (268/sq mi)
 • Ethnicity
90.98% Greenlandic
9.02% Other[3]
Time zoneUTC-3 (WGT)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-2 (WGST)
Postal code
3952
Area code(s)(+299) 94

In direct translation, Ilulissat is the Kalaallisut word for "Icebergs" (Danish: Isbjerge).[6] The nearby Ilulissat Icefjord is a UNESCO World Heritage Site,[7] and has made Ilulissat the most popular tourist destination in Greenland.[8] Tourism is now the town's principal industry. The city neighbours the Ilulissat Icefjord, where there are enormous icebergs from the most productive glacier in the northern hemisphere.

History
The Lutheran church, photographed in 1869

The town was established as a trading post by Jacob Severin's company in 1741 and was named in his honor.[9][10]

The Zion Church (Zions Kirke) was built in the late 18th century, and was the largest man-made structure in Greenland at the time.[10] The final resident of nearby Sermermiut moved to Ilulissat in 1850.[11]

Ilulissat Declaration
Main article: Ilulissat Declaration

The town was the site of the Arctic Ocean Conference in May 2008.[12] The joint meeting between Canada, Denmark, Norway, Russia, and the United States was held to discuss key issues relating to territorial claims in the Arctic (particularly Hans Island and Arktika 2007) and Arctic shrinkage produced by climate change.[13]

The Ilulissat Declaration arose from the conference. It stated that the law of the sea provided for important rights and obligations concerning the delineation of the outer limits of the continental shelf, the protection of the marine environment (including ice-covered areas), freedom of navigation, marine scientific research, and other uses of the sea. It also said that it remained committed to this legal framework and to the orderly settlement of any possible overlapping claims.

With this existing legal framework providing a solid foundation for responsible management, there was no need to develop a new comprehensive international legal regime to govern the Arctic Ocean. The states involved would continue the developments within the Arctic Ocean and continue to implement appropriate measures to further said developments.[14]

A panoramic view at Ilulissat in February 2006

Geography and environment
Main article: Ilulissat Icefjord

The Ilulissat Icefjord (Greenlandic: Ilulissat Kangerlua) southeast of Ilulissat was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004.[15]

Climate data for Ilulissat, 1961-1990
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 12.2
(54.0)		 9.0
(48.2)		 12.0
(53.6)		 10.2
(50.4)		 16.5
(61.7)		 18.0
(64.4)		 20.6
(69.1)		 20.4
(68.7)		 16.1
(61.0)		 12.4
(54.3)		 11.4
(52.5)		 11.6
(52.9)		 20.6
(69.1)
Average high °C (°F) −9.0
(15.8)		 −10.1
(13.8)		 −10.6
(12.9)		 −3.8
(25.2)		 3.4
(38.1)		 8.3
(46.9)		 11.4
(52.5)		 10.2
(50.4)		 5.5
(41.9)		 −0.5
(31.1)		 −4.8
(23.4)		 −7.6
(18.3)		 −0.6
(30.9)
Average low °C (°F) −16.6
(2.1)		 −18.3
(−0.9)		 −19.3
(−2.7)		 −12.6
(9.3)		 −3.4
(25.9)		 1.8
(35.2)		 4.4
(39.9)		 3.3
(37.9)		 −0.8
(30.6)		 −6.7
(19.9)		 −11.1
(12.0)		 −14.8
(5.4)		 −7.8
(17.9)
Record low °C (°F) −33.6
(−28.5)		 −33.6
(−28.5)		 −37.8
(−36.0)		 −29.5
(−21.1)		 −21.1
(−6.0)		 −5.9
(21.4)		 −1.5
(29.3)		 −3.0
(26.6)		 −13.8
(7.2)		 −18.2
(−0.8)		 −27.5
(−17.5)		 −34.0
(−29.2)		 −37.8
(−36.0)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 13
(0.5)		 16
(0.6)		 13
(0.5)		 18
(0.7)		 18
(0.7)		 24
(0.9)		 32
(1.3)		 31
(1.2)		 41
(1.6)		 25
(1.0)		 22
(0.9)		 18
(0.7)		 271
(10.6)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 4.3 4.0 4.0 5.0 4.2 4.8 5.3 5.4 7.4 5.3 5.6 5.0 60.3
Average snowy days 7.6 7.2 7.8 8.0 6.0 0.6 0.0 0.4 3.3 5.9 7.3 7.2 61.3
Mean monthly sunshine hours 0 28 93 180 279 300 279 217 120 62 30 0 1,588
Percent possible sunshine 0.0 13.2 25.8 37.4 41.7 41.7 38.4 39.3 30.1 21.9 23.3 0.0 26.1
Source 1: Danish Meteorological Institute[16]
Source 2: World Climate Guide[17]

Population

With 4,670 inhabitants in 2020, Ilulissat is the largest town in the Avannaata municipality. The population increased over 8% relative to 1990 levels but has remained steady since around 2003.[18]

Transport
Ilulissat domestic airport destinations
Air
Main article: Ilulissat Airport

Ilulissat Airport is located 2.8 km (1.7 mi) to the northeast of the town center and was built in 1983.[19] It serves Ilulissat with connections to towns in northwestern and midwestern Greenland via Air Greenland. Service to Reykjavík, Iceland, began in April 2011 via Air Iceland Connect and Air Greenland in 2017.

Sea

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

Sport

The town is home to Nagdlunguaq-48 who play in the Greenlandic Men's Football Championship, Greenland's top soccer competition. Nagdlunguaq-48, who play all their league games in Nuuk, have won the championship ten times (as of 2016).

Notable people

International relations

Twin towns – Sister cities
See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Greenland

Ilulissat is twinned or cooperating with several towns and cities, including:

  • Church and doctor's residence of the town Jakobshavn (1900)
  • Cruise ships in the fjord front of Ilulissat
  • Drank nettle for boiling blubber in Ilulissat, Greenland
  • Knud Rasmussen's birthplace in Ilulissat, Greenland; Knud Rasmussen's Museum
  • Kayaking in Ilulissat
  • Inuit Kajak at Ilulissat
  • Dog sled sign in Ilulissat
  • Fisherman in Ilulissat
  • Cruise ship at Ilulissat port
  • Toddlers with their teacher
  • Ilulissat, old part of the city with icebergs from the Ilulissat Icefjord in the background
  • Sailing in Ilulissat Icefjord
  • The football field
  • Ilulissat Airport from the south.
  • Blue iceberg in the Ilulissat Icefjord
  • View of Ilulissat city from the sea
  • View of Ilulissat city from the sea
  • Sailing in Ilulissat Icefjord
  • Sailing in Ilulissat Icefjord
  • Sailing in Ilulissat Icefjord
  • Sailing in Ilulissat Icefjord
  • Sailing in Ilulissat Icefjord
  • Ilulissat
  • Ilulissat
  • Ilulissat
  • Ilulissat
  • Ilulissat artic Tv
  • Ilulissat
  • Ilulissat
  • Ilulissat
  • Ilulissat
  • Ilulissat
  • Ilulissat
  • Ilulissat
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References
  1. "Den Store Danske: Areal fordelt efter kommune / region". Naatsorsueqqissaartarfik. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  2. "Naatsorsueqqissaartarfik: Ilulissat City/Settlements (Ilulissat Municipality, Qaasuitsup Kommunia), 2014 (table: BEDST3)". Statistics Greenland. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
  3. Naatsorsueqqissaartarfik: Naatsorsueqqissaartarfik, table BEDST3', period 2014
  4. i.a., Lieber, Francis & al. Encyclopædia Americana: A Popular Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, Literature, History, Politics and Biography. "Greenland". B.B. Mussey & Co., 1854.
  5. "Population by Localities". Statistical Greenland. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  6. "Ilulissat". Qaasuitsup Municipality. Archived from the original on 2 June 2012. Retrieved 11 July 2010.
  7. "21 World Heritage Sites you have probably never heard of". Daily Telegraph.
  8. "Ilulissat Icefjord". Qaasuitsup Municipality. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
  9. Marquardt, Ole. "Change and Continuity in Denmark's Greenland Policy" in The Oldenburg Monarchy: An Underestimated Empire?. Verlag Ludwig (Kiel), 2006.
  10. Kjærgaard, Kathrine (2010). "Grønland som del af den bibelske fortælling – en 1700-tals studie Archived 15 July 2012 at the Wayback Machine" ["Greenland as Part of the Biblical Narrative – a Study of the 18th Century"]. Kirkehistoriske Samlinger, 51-130. (in Danish)
  11. Guide to Ilulissat Museum, Ilulissat Museum
  12. Arctic Council (26 May 2008). "Conference on the Arctic Ocean". arctic-council.org. Archived from the original on 20 August 2008. Retrieved 6 June 2008.
  13. "Greenland hosts Arctic sovereignty talks". Reuters. 27 May 2008. Retrieved 5 October 2010.
  14. "Ilulissat Declaration" (PDF). Government of Greenland. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 March 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
  15. "UNESCO Listing". Retrieved 11 August 2012.
  16. Danish Meteorological Institute Archived 30 June 2013 at the Wayback Machine |language=Danish
  17. "World Weather Information Service – Ilulissat". Weather2Travel.com. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
  18. Statistics Greenland, Population in districts and municipalities January 1st 1977-2020 BEEST3
  19. Air Greenland, History Archived 23 May 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  20. Jean Malaurie, 1982.
  21. Knud Johan Victor Rasmussen Archived 12 October 2010 at the Wayback Machine, biography by Sam Alley. Minnesota State University.
  22. Elizabeth Cruwys, 2003.
  23. Famous sons Archived 25 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine

Overviews and data

Government
  • Avannaata Official municipal and city website

Maps

News and media

Travel
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