Upernavik
| Upernavik | |
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 Upernavik
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| Coordinates: 72°47′13″N 56°08′50″W / 72.78694°N 56.14722°WCoordinates: 72°47′13″N 56°08′50″W / 72.78694°N 56.14722°W | |
| State |  Kingdom of Denmark |
| Constituent country |  Greenland |
| Municipality | Qaasuitsup |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 1,129 |
| Time zone | UTC-3 (UTC-3) |
| Postal code | 3962 |
Upernavik ("Springtime Place" in Greenlandic)[1] is a small town in the Qaasuitsup municipality in northwestern Greenland, located on a small island of the same name. With 1,129 inhabitants as of 2010,[2] it is the thirteenth-largest town in Greenland. Due to the small size of the settlement, everything is within walking distance. It contains the Upernavik Museum.
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[edit] History
In 1824, the Kingittorsuaq Runestone was found outside Upernavik; which was founded in 1772. It bears runic characters left by Vikings, probably from the late 13th century. The runic characters list the names of three Vikings, and mention the construction of a rock cairn nearby.
This is the furthest north that any Viking artifacts have been found, other than those small artifacts that could have been carried north by Inuit traders, and marks the northern known limit of Viking exploration.
[edit] Transport
[edit] Air
Upernavik is served by Air Greenland, with scheduled flights from Upernavik Airport to Qaanaaq, Qaarsut, and Ilulissat.[3] Most settlements in the archipelago are served during weekdays with the Bell 212 helicopter.[3]
[edit] Sea
In the summer, a small ferry of Royal Arctic Line sails to local villages.
[edit]
Upernavik is located within Upernavik Archipelago, a vast archipelago of small islands on the coast of northeastern Baffin Bay. The archipelago extends from the northwestern coast of Sigguup Nunaa peninsula in the south at approximately 71°50′N 56°00′W / 71.833°N 56°W[4] to the southern end of Melville Bay (Kalaallisut: Qimusseriarsuaq) in the north at approximately 74°50′N 57°30′W / 74.833°N 57.5°W.[5]
[edit] Population
With 1,129 inhabitants as of 2010, Upernavik is the fifth-largest town in the Qaasuitsup municipality.[6] The population has been relatively stable over the last two decades, increasing by more than 17 percent relative to the 1990 levels,[6] with migrants from the smaller settlements in the archipelago helping keep the population level stable.
[edit] Climate
| Climate data for Upernavik, Greenland (1961-1990) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | −13.6 (7.5) |
−15.8 (3.6) |
−16.4 (2.5) |
−9.5 (14.9) |
−1.3 (29.7) |
3.9 (39.0) |
8.0 (46.4) |
7.7 (45.9) |
3.0 (37.4) |
−2.1 (28.2) |
−6.5 (20.3) |
−11.2 (11.8) |
−4.48 (23.93) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −19.8 (−3.6) |
−22.3 (−8.1) |
−23.2 (−9.8) |
−16.6 (2.1) |
−6.5 (20.3) |
−0.9 (30.4) |
2.4 (36.3) |
2.5 (36.5) |
−1.1 (30.0) |
−5.8 (21.6) |
−10.7 (12.7) |
−16.1 (3.0) |
−9.84 (14.28) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 12 (0.47) |
13 (0.51) |
8 (0.31) |
14 (0.55) |
10 (0.39) |
14 (0.55) |
29 (1.14) |
26 (1.02) |
38 (1.5) |
33 (1.3) |
34 (1.34) |
20 (0.79) |
251 (9.88) |
| Source: Danish Meteorological Institute[7] | |||||||||||||
[edit] Photographs
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Northwestern part of Upernavik in midnight sun
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the cemetery and city behind
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The old church, which is the second-oldest building in the town
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The cemetery; the graves are decorated with artificial flowers.
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Work at the harbour
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Sleddogs chained in residential area
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Duda Lasø anchored in the harbour
[edit] References
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Upernavik |
- ^ greenland-guide.glPDF
- ^ Statistics Greenland, Greenland in Figures, 2010
- ^ a b Air Greenland, Departures and Arrivals
- ^ Nunavik, Saga Map, 1:250.000, Tage Schjøtt, 1992
- ^ Upernavik Avannarleq, Saga Map, 1:250.000, Tage Schjøtt, 1992
- ^ a b c Statistics Greenland
- ^ Danish Meteorological Institute (Danish)
[edit] Further reading
- Bjerregaard, Peter, and Beth Bjerregaard. Disease Pattern in Upernavik in Relation to Housing Conditions and Social Group. Copenhagen: Kommissionen for videnskabelige Undersøgelser i Grønland, 1985. ISBN 8717052319
- Haller, Albert Arno. The Spatial Organization of the Marine Hunting Culture in the Upernavik District, Greenland. Ottawa: National Library of Canada, 1981.
- Hjarnø, Jan, Jørgen Balslev Jørgensen, and Morten Vesely. Archaeological and Anthropological Investigations of Late Heathen Graves in Upernavik District. København: C.A. Reitzels Forlag, 1974. ISBN 8742100968
- Jørgensen, Jørgen Balslev, Jens Dahl, and Sanjai Sangvichien. Anthropometrical Studies on Greenlanders from Two Villages in the Upernavik Area. København: Nyt Nordisk Forlag, 1976. ISBN 8717021251
- Vibe, Christian. Preliminary Investigations on Shallow Water Animal Communities in the Upernavik- and Thule-Districts (Northwest Greenland). København: C.A. Reitzel, 1939.
[edit] External links
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