Qasigiannguit

Qasigiannguit
Aerial view of Qasigiannguit
Qasigiannguit Location within Greenland
Coordinates: 68°49′12.522″N 51°11′35.671″W
State	Kingdom of Denmark
Constituent country	Greenland
Municipality	Qaasuitsup
Founded	1734
Population (2010)
• Total	1,253
Time zone	UTC-03
Postal code	3951

Qasigiannguit (Danish: Christianshåb) is a town located on the southeastern shore of Disko Bay, in the Qaasuitsup municipality in western Greenland. With 1,253 inhabitants as of 2010, it is the twelfth-largest town in Greenland. The main industry is shrimp and halibut fishing.

History

Qasigiannguit was founded in 1734, and is home to Greenland's oldest wooden house. The former house of Paul Egede, was inaugurated on 25 July 1734, in the colony of Christianshåb. Because of the wind, the house was moved across the small bay to its present site during 1806. In 1997 the 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.

Transport

Air

Main article: Qasigiannguit Heliport

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

Sea

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

Population

With 1,253 inhabitants as of 2010, Qasigiannguit is the fourth-largest town in the Qaasuitsup municipality. The population has decreased by more than 22 percent relative to the 1990 levels, and by nearly 11 percent relative to the 2000 levels, decreasing over the course of the last decade.

Qasigiannguit population growth dynamics in the last two decades. Source: Statistics Greenland