GREENLAND
Lying in the Northern American continent between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean, to the North East of Canada, is Greenland, which is the world’s largest Island.
The indigenous people of Greenland called their country Inuit Nunaat, meaning ‘the country of human beings’. Today in the indigenous tongue Greenland is known as Kalaallit Nunaat, meaning ‘the country of the Greenlanders’.
Cape Morris Jesup, the northernmost point of Greenland is only 740 km from then North Pole. Only 15 % of the costal line of Greenland is inhabitable, as 85 % of the area is covered by the icecap.
The that engulfs the is either permanently frozen or chilled by the mainly cold currents and in the center of the country ice can be up to 3km (2 miles) thick. This is the reason why most of its population huddles around the ice-free coastal region.
HISTORY
The first settlers on the land were the Europeans in the 10th century and by the 16th century they took possession of it until Denmark took possession of it in the early 18th century. In 1953 it became an integral part of the Danish realm and a referendum in 1979 approved internal autonomy within the Kingdom of Denmark. Greenland voted to become a separate country and very recently in mid 2009 Greenland began a new era of self rule after 300 years of Danish subjugation.
GEORGAPHY AND CLIMATE
Davis Strait and Baffin Bay separate Greenland from the Canadian Arctic Archipelago on the western side, to the south lies the Labrador Sea and on the east, Greenland borders the Greenland Sea. Out of a total area of 2,170,000 sq. km about 1,834,000 sq. km is ice cap.
Since Greenland is a large country there are great variations in its climate though it primarily has an arctic type of climate. There are severe winters and conditions can become dangerous if there is a strong wind accompanying low temperatures. In the interiors of the country the temperatures barely rise above the freezing temperature. However, the summers are mild.
PEOPLE, CULTURE AND LANGUAGES
14.719 inhabitants of Greenland, out of the total population of 56.648 are living in the capital Nuuk.
The first Eskimo migration took place approximately 4-5.000 years ago and people living in Greenland today are descendent from the last migration which took place around year 800 A.C. 85 % of the population are an indigenous Inuit people while the remaining are primarily Danes.
Protestantism is the main religion of the country.
The Greenlandic language differs strongly from the Indo-European languages like French, English and German. The official language is West Greenlandic and Greenland is a bilingual country in which Greenlandic is the main language and Danish is the other.
CAPITAL AND MAJOR CITIES
The capital city of the country is Nuuk and its Danish name is Godthab. Other than the capital, Greenland has 18 towns and 60 small villages. Some of the major towns include:
-Sisimiut, Ilulissat, Aasiaat, Qaqortoq, Tasiilaq, Paamiut, Nanotarlik Narsaq, Upernavik and Qasigiannguit.
CURRENCY AND ECONOMY
The monetary unit of Greenland is Danish krone. The principal economy of Greenland is dependent on fishing, as agriculture is only possible on about 1 percent of the country’s total area and thus it relies on large amounts of financial support from Denmark.
HOW TO REACH
The only way to reach this Arctic nation is by air. The major airports are -Kangerlussuaq (Søndre Strømfjord) (SFJ), which is served from Copenhagen by Air Greenland, Kulusuk (KUS) is served from Iceland by Air Iceland, Narsarsuaq (UAK) is served from Copenhagen by Air Greenland and from Iceland by Air Iceland, and Nuuk (GOH) is served from Copenhagen by Air Greenland
Air Greenland is the national airline but the only places from where one can reach the country are- Copenhagen, Denmark, or Reykjavik and Iceland. It is important to keep in mind that delays and interruptions in transport services or changes to planned itineraries due to the Arctic weather conditions in Greenland, so it would be advisable to leave enough time for possible disruptions to flights and check with their airline or tour operator before flying.
WHAT TO SEE
With a population of only 1500, Nuuk is the world’s smallest capital. A Norwegian missionary Hans Egede founded Nuuk in 1728 and it was the first town of Greenland. Overlooked by the Sermitsiaq Mountain, the town has spectacular scenic beauty, unlike any place on earth and is thus a popular destination for visitors.
Visit the town Ilulissat, which means iceberg. Ilulissat, which was added onto UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2004, is the gateway to Disko Bay and the whole of northern Greenland and boasts many modern as well as traditional buildings surrounded by breathtaking scenery. Visit the Knud Rasmussen Museum at Ilulissat, which was the house where the famous explorer Knud Rasmussen was born in 1879 and where he grew up. Another attraction here are the sled dogs- 3000 thousand of them live here.
Disko Bay is one of the most popular areas with travelers to Greenland, where you'll find huge icebergs glowing in the light of the midnight sun (in summer) and a wide variety of attractions at sea, on land and in the air.
The areas first settled by the Viking Eric the Red 1000 years ago, Narsarsuaq and Qassiarsuk, are situated in southern Greenland and many ruins from this epoch of Greenland's history still survive in these places.
Explore Qaqortoq, which is not only the largest town in South Greenland but is also home to a small Inuit (Eskimo) Museum, which includes an exact copy of a turf-built house. Some of the most well-preserved buildings of the colonial era, dating back 200 years are located in the town square, situated close to the harbor. Throughout the town you will also find scattered everywhere Examples of a unique art project called 'Stone and People', where sculptures are carved into granite.
WHAT TO DO
The area of Greenland’s southernmost town Nanortalik is surrounded by the Nanortalik Skyscrapers, steep peaks and sheer mountain walls lining fjords, making it a paradise for climbers.
In the country’s coastal areas, especially those around Qeqertarsuaq, Aasiaat and Qasigiannguit, many different species of whales can be seen and with a bit of luck you might spot gigantic fin whales.
Snowmobiles are ubiquitous in Greenland, and renting one is a great way to discover Greenland's beautiful scenery in winter, though it is an expensive affair, it promises to give you a great thrilling experience.
Go dog sledding, as the Inuit’s have been doing for thousands of years and get a peek into their lifestyles.
Visit the world’s largest national park at Ttoqqortoormiit is one of the youngest and the most isolated towns in Greenland and the Greenland National Museum, which is one of Nuuk's major attractions and has mummies of a group of women and children who were thought to have died in about 1475 when their boat capsized.
WHERE TO STAY
Hotels
Scoresby Sund, Thule or Upernavik have no hotels but there are hotels in the major towns, where you should make advanced reservations.
Camping
Most places have specific areas for pitching tents though there are no official campsites and camping is permitted everywhere except on ruins and on cultivated land in south Greenland.
Youth Hostels
Youth hostel accommodation with good facilities can be found in all major towns and you may come across student accommodation which doubles up as youth hostels during the summer. Alternatively if you are not luxury conscious you can stay at accommodation that farmers have attached to their sheep farming stations.
Hunter’s cabins
Remote cabins mainly used by locals on hunting trips, are rarely locked, well-kept or clean can be found throughout most of Greenland and these are available to all with usually no charge to stay overnight.
Igloo Hotel
The most fun accommodation style at Greenland is the Igloo hotel, which has a large central igloo connected to four to six smaller ones via ice tunnels, features a bar, decorative ice sculptures and ice furniture and is constructed in winter each year in Kangerlussuaq.
GETTING AROUND
Air
From Nanortalik in the south to Thule/Qaanaq in the north Air Greenland serves all towns on the west coast. Make advanced reservations.
Water
Sailing is cheaper than flying and Arctic Umiaq Line operates services along the west coast between Nanortalik and Upernavik. Alternatively you can try using local boats, which serve all villages, connecting them with the nearest town.
Road
Ivituut and Kangilinnguit are the only places that are connected by road.
Dog sledding
This perhaps the best way to explore the country and dog sleds can be hired for the day, or for longer periods.
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