Kangerlussuaq
Søndre Strømfjord | |
|---|---|
.png) Residential houses East of Kangerlussuaq Airport | |
  Kangerlussuaq Location within Greenland | |
| Coordinates: 67°00′31″N 50°41′21″W / 67.00861°N 50.68917°W | |
| State |  Kingdom of Denmark |
| Constituent country |  Greenland |
| Municipality |  Qeqqata |
| Founded | 1941 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Albrecht Kreutzmann |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 508[1] |
| Time zone | UTC−02:00 (Western Greenland Time) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−01:00 (Western Greenland Summer Time) |
| Postal code | 3910 |
Kangerlussuaq (Greenlandic pronunciation: [kaˌŋɜˈɬːusːuɑq]; lit. 'Big Fjord'; Danish: Søndre Strømfjord) is a settlement in western Greenland in the Qeqqata municipality[3] located at the head of the fjord of the same name. It is Greenland's main air transport hub and the site of Greenland's largest commercial airport. The airport dates from American settlement during and after World War II, when the site was known as Bluie West-8 and then Sondrestrom Air Base.
The Kangerlussuaq area is also home to Greenland's most diverse terrestrial fauna, including muskoxen, caribou, and gyrfalcons. The settlement's economy and population of 508[1] is almost entirely reliant on the airport and tourist industry. It is the only town in Greenland which is not located on the proper ocean, being situated at the end of a 160 km long fjord, although it still has a coastline on the ocean.[4]
- ^ a b "Population by Localities". Statistical Greenland.
- ^ Qeqqata Municipality[permanent dead link] (in Danish)
- ^ "Qeqqata Kommunia > Om Kommunen > by og Bygder > Kangerlussuaq". Archived from the original on 2012-05-01. Retrieved 2012-02-14.
- ^ "51 Interesting Greenland Facts to Inspire Your Visit". www.secretatlas.com. Retrieved 2024-07-16.