Nuuk

Nuuk Godthåb
—  City  —
Nuussuaq district of Nuuk with the Sermitsiaq mountain in the background
Nuuk Location within Greenland
Coordinates:
Federacy	Kingdom of Denmark
Country	Greenland
Municipality	Sermersooq
First Settled	2000 B.C.
Incorporated	1728
Government
- Mayor	Asii Chemnitz Narup (Inuit Ataqatigiit)
Population (2010)
- City	15,469
- Metro	18,039 (including Qiisumooq/Ingestad village)
	City and metropolitan population is co-extensive, The entire Metro area belongs to Nuuk City
Time zone	UTC-03
Postal code	3900

Nuuk, (pronunciation translated: "The tip" (Danish: Godthåb translated: "Good hope") is the capital and largest city of Greenland, and the seat of government for the Sermersooq municipality. It has a population of 15,469 (as of January 2010),^[1] making it one of the smallest capital cities in the world by population.

Contents 1 History 2 Geography and climate 2.1 Climate 3 Demographics 4 Government and politics 4.1 KANUKOKA 5 Economy and infrastucture 5.1 Energy 5.2 Education 5.3 Healthcare 5.4 Tourism 6 Transport 6.1 Air 6.2 Sea 6.3 Ground 7 Sites of interest 7.1 Historical sites 7.2 Katuaq Culture Centre 7.3 University of Greenland 7.4 Nuuk Kunstmuseum 7.5 National Museum of Greenland 7.6 Kalaallit Nunaata Radioa 8 Sport 9 Notable people 10 Twin towns 11 References

History

The site has a long history of different inhabitation. Nuuk was first occupied by the ancient pre-Inuit, Paleo-Eskimo people of the Saqqaq culture as far back as 2200 BC when they lived in the area around the now abandoned settlement of Qoornoq.^[2] For a long period it was occupied by the Dorset culture around the former settlement of Kangeq but they departed from Nuuk district before 1000 AD. The Nuuk area was later inhabited by Viking explorers in the 10th century, and shortly thereafter by Inuit peoples.^[3] Inuit and Norsemen both lived with little interaction in this area from around 1000 AD until around 1500 AD, when Norse habitation stopped, most likely due to change in climate and vegetation.

The city was founded in 1728 by the Danish-Norwegian missionary Hans Egede who had arrived in 1721, and given the name Godthåb (Good Hope).^[3] Hans Egede had arrived at a place close to the already existing Inuit population living in Kangeq. At that time, Greenland was a Norwegian colony under the Dano-Norwegian Crown, but the colony had not had any contact with Norway proper for almost three centuries . King Frederick IV sent three frigates to Greenland soon after Egede established it, bringing personnel and materials to build a fort. Most of the personnel consisted of convicts and prostitutes and most died within the first year of scurvy and other ailments. In 1733 to 1734 a smallpox epidemic killed most of the native population as well as Hans Egede's wife.^[4] Hans Egede went back to Denmark in 1736 after 15 years in Greenland leaving his son Paul Egede to continue his parent's work.^[5]Moravian missionaries took over the area.

Around 1850, Greenland, the area around Nuuk was in crisis. The Europeans had brought diseases and a culture that had conflicted with the Greenlanders. Many Greenlanders were living in poverty. In 1853, Hinrich Johannes Rink arrived in Greenland and he saw that the Greenlanders had lost much of their culture and identity under the Danish influence. Therefore, he started Greenland's first newspaper, Atuagagdliutt, in 1861 which had a native Greenlander as editor. This newspaper, based in Nuuk, later came to mean much for the Greenlandic self-understanding.

During World War II, a reestablishment of Greenlandic identity began. The Greenlanders shared a common written language and subsequently assembled a council under Eske Brun's leadership in Nuuk. In 1940, an American and a Canadian Consulate were established in Nuuk. Under new regulation in 1950, the two councils amalgamated into one. The Countryside Council was abolished on 1 May 1979 when the city was renamed Nuuk by the Greenland Home Rule government. Like the rest of Greenland, Nuuk is populated today by both Inuit and Danes. Currently, over a third of Greenland's total population lives in the Nuuk's Greater Metropolitan area.^[6]

Geography and climate

Nuuk is located at approximately .^[7] at the mouth of Nuup Kangerlua, some 10 km (6.2 mi) from the shores of Labrador Sea on the southwestern coast of Greenland, and about 240 km (150 mi) south of the Arctic Circle. Initially, the fjord flows to the northwest, to then turn southwest at , splitting into three arms in its lower run, with three big islands inbetween the arms: Sermitsiaq Island, Qeqertarsuaq Island, and Qoornuup Qeqertarsua.^[8]The fjord widens into a bay dotted with skerries near its mouth, opening into Labrador Sea at approximately . The Sermitsiaq mountain looms over the city and can be seen almost everywhere in Nuuk. It is located on an island in the Nuup Kangerlua fjord. The mountain has given its name to the nationwide newspaper Sermitsiaq.

Climate

Nuuk has a maritime influenced subarctic climate with cold, snowy winters and cool summers. Temperatures are below freezing during winter and stay cool in summer.^[9] In December, the sun rises at 10.00 and sets at 14:30. By contrast, from late May and early August the days are long. Average temperatures are seven degrees celsius in July and minus eight degrees celsius in January.

Climate data for Nuuk, Greenland (1961-1990)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high °C (°F)	- 4.6 (23.7)	-4.7 (23.5)	-5.1 (22.8)	-1.2 (29.8)	3.1 (37.6)	7.0 (44.6)	9.9 (49.8)	9.3 (48.7)	6.0 (42.8)	1.4 (34.5)	-1.3 (29.7)	-3.5 (25.7)	1.36 (34.45)
Average low °C (°F)	- 10.0 (14)	-10.7 (12.7)	-10.7 (12.7)	-6.3 (20.7)	-1.7 (28.9)	1.1 (34)	3.5 (38.3)	3.5 (38.3)	1.4 (34.5)	-2.7 (27.1)	-5.9 (21.4)	-8.6 (16.5)	-3.9 (24.9)
Precipitation mm (inches)	40 (1.57)	47 (1.85)	49 (1.93)	47 (1.85)	55 (2.17)	61 (2.4)	86 (3.39)	85 (3.35)	89 (3.5)	66 (2.6)	73 (2.87)	54 (2.13)	752 (29.61)
Source: Danish Meteorological Institute[10]

Demographics

With 15,469 inhabitants as of 2010, Nuuk is the fastest-growing town in Greenland,^[11] with migrants from the smaller towns and settlements reinforcing the trend. Together with Tasiilaq, it is the only town in the Sermersooq muncipality exhibiting stable growth patterns over the last two decades. The population increased by over a quarter relative to the 1990 levels, and by nearly 16 percent relative to the 2000 levels.^[11]

Government and politics

As the capital of Greenland, Nuuk is the administrative centre of the country, containing all of the important government buildings and institutions. The current mayor of Nuuk is Asii Chemnitz Narup from the Inuit Ataqatigiit party.

The national parliament of Greenland, the Landsting, is located in Nuuk. It currently has 31 seats and its members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms. All of Greenland's major politicial parties have their headquarters in Nuuk, including the Inuit Ataqatigiit, Siumut, Democrats, Atassut, Association of Candidates and the Women's Party.

KANUKOKA

KANUKOKA Kalaallisut: Kalaallit Nunaanni Kommunit Kattuffiannit is based in Nuuk. It is an association of Greenland's municipalities, led by Enok Sandgreen.^[12] The aim of the organization is to facilitate cooperation between all four municipalities of Greenland: Kujalleq, Qaasuitsup, Qeqqata, and Sermersooq. The organization runs the municipal elections every four years, with the last election taking place in 2008.^[13] All municipal authorities in Greenland are currently members of the organization.^[14] The association is overseen by Maliina Abelsen, the Minister for Social Affairs in the Government of Greenland.^[12][15]

Economy and infrastucture

Although only a small city, Nuuk has developed trade, business, shipping and other industries. Nuuk began as a small fishing settlement with a harbor but as the economy developed rapidly during the 1970s and 1980s, the fishing industry in the capital declined.^[16]However, seafood, including fish, seal etc is sold in abundance in Nuuk and the capital contains a number of fish markets, the largest being Kalaaliaraq Market. Minerals such as zinc, gold, etc have contributed to the development of Nuuk's economy.

The city, like much of Greenland, is heavily dependent upon Danish investment and relies on Denmark for block funding.^[17]

Energy

All of Greenland's electricity is powered by the government owned company Nukissiorfiit, that has a monopoly on the electricity in Greenland. Nuuk gets its electric power mainly from Buksefjord hydroelectric power plant by way of a 132 kV powerline crossing Ameralik fjord on the world's longest span.

Education

Nuuk has several educational institutions of higher learning. The University of Greenland (Ilisimatusarfik), which is the only university in Greenland, is located in Nuuk. The university expanded in 2007 with the new building called Ilimmarfik which houses departments of journalism, management and economics, language, literature and media, cultural and social history, theology and religion and social work. Nuuk is also home to the Department of Learning (Ilinniarfissuaq), the oldest educational facility in Greenland, located in the old colonial part of Nuuk (Nuutoqaq: Old Nuuk). Other notable educational institutions include the Department of Nursing and Health Science, Nuuk Technical College and the Iron- & Metal School.

Healthcare

The city is served by Queen Ingrid's Hospital. The hospital not only serves as the main hospital for the municipality but is the central hospital in all of Greenland. The hospital has around 130 beds.^[18]

Tourism

The Nuuk Tourist Office was built in 1992 to house the headquarters of the new National Tourist Board of Greenland.^[19] It was built not only to provide information to tourists but as an attraction, with a fake Christmas tree and an extremely large postal box.

Transport

Air

Nuuk has an international airport located 4 km (2.5 mi) to the northeast of the town centrum. Built in 1979. it a focus city for Air Greenland, which is also headquartered in Nuuk,^[20] and operates its technical base at the airport.

Sea

For most of the year, Nuuk is served twice-weekly by coastal ferries of Arctic Umiaq Line which link the communities of the western coast.^[21]

Ground

The main street in Nuuk is Aqqusinersuaq, alongside which there is a number of shops and the 140-room Hotel Hans Egede.^[22] The majority of 72 buses and 2,570 cars owned in Greenland (as of 2004) operate in Nuuk.^[23] Nuup Bussii provides frequent bus services to the outlying districts of Nuussuaq and Qinngorput.

Sites of interest

Historical sites

Nuuk Cathedral was established in 1849. The red building with pointy roof is a prominent site on the landscape. The Herrnhut House was the centre of the Moravian Mission station in Nuuk which was active across the west coast. Other landmarks include the Hans Egede Church and the Hans Egede Statue.

Katuaq Culture Centre

Katuaq Culture Centre is a cultural centre used for both concerts cinema, exhibitions and conferences. It was designed by schmidt hammer lassen, it was inaugurated on February 15 1997. Katuaq contains two auditoria, the larger one seating 1,008 people and the smaller one 508. The complex also contains an art school, library, meeting facilities, administrative offices and a café.

University of Greenland

The University of Greenland is located in Nuuk and is the national university of Greenland. Most courses are taught in Danish and a few in Greenlandic. As of 2007, the university had approximately 150 students, almost all local inhabitants, and around 14 academic staff and five technical-administrative employees.^[24]Its library holds approximately 18,000 volumes.

Nuuk Kunstmuseum

Nuuk Kunstmuseum is the only private art and crafts museum in Greenland.^[25]The museum contains a notable collection of paintings, watercolors, drawings and graphics, figures in soapstone, ivory, and wood, with many items collected by the businessman Svend Junge.^[25] Of particular note is a collecitons of over 150 paintings by Emanuel A. Petersen.^[25]

National Museum of Greenland

The National Museum of Greenland is located in Nuuk and was one of the first museums established in Greenland, inaugurated in the mid 1960s.^[26] The museum is affiliated with the Danish National Museum which has expanded its collections. The museum has many artifacts related to archaeology, history, art, and handicrafts and also has information about ruins, graveyards, buildings etc.

Kalaallit Nunaata Radioa

Kalaallit Nunaata Radioa (The Greenlandic Broadcasting Corporation or KNR), the national public broadcasting corporation of Greenland is based in Nuuk. It is an independent state-owned corporation headed by a seven-person board. KNR provides one national television station and one national radio station. The radio station operates mostly in the Greenlandic language (Kalaallisut) but also in Danish.

The Greenland Centre for Performing Arts in Nuuk was opened in 1997, as a joint project between the Greenland Government, the Nuuk Municipal Council and the Nordic Council of Ministers. The centre contains a theatre, an exhibition hall and conference facilities and a cafe.^[27]

The National Library of Greenland in Nuuk is the largest reference library in the country, devoted to the preservation of national cultural heritage and history.^[28]The library holdings are split between the public library in the town centrum, and Ilimmarfik, the campus of the University of Greenland. As of 1 January 2008, there are 83,324 items in the library database at Ilimmarfik.^[29]

Sport

Nuuk Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, mainly used mostly for football matches. The stadium has a capacity for 2,000^[30]. The stadium can also be used as an entertainment venue and recently the Scottish rock band Nazareth, of Love Hurts fame, performed at the venue. Nuuk also has the Godthåbhallen, a handball stadium. It is the home of the Greenland national handball team and has a capacity of 1,000. ^[31]

Notable people

• Agnethe Davidsen, the first female government minister in Greenland.
• Maliina Abelsen, the Minister for Social Affairs in the Government of Greenland
• Nive Nielsen, singer.

Twin towns

• Cuxhaven, Germany
• Aalborg (since 2002), Denmark
• Vantaa (since 1965), Finland
• Changchun, China
• Tiverton, Rhode Island, United States
• Lyngby-Taarbæk, Denmark
• Huddinge, Sweden
• Reykjavík, Iceland
• Ushuaia, Argentina
• Bocas del Toro, Panama

References

Nuuk Districts and neighborhoods Centrum · Nuussuaq · Old Nuuk · Qernertunnguit · Qinngorput · Quassussuup Tungaa Institutions Atuagkat Bookstore · Bank of Greenland · Greenland High Court · Kalaallit Nunaata Radioa · KANUKOKA · Nuuk TV · Queen Ingrid's Hospital · Parliament of Greenland · Public and National Library of Greenland · Sermitsiaq · Statistics Greenland · University of Greenland Landmarks Blok P · Greenland Centre for Performing Arts · Greenland National Museum · Hans Egede Church · Hotel Hans Egede · Kalaaliaraq Market · Katuaq Culture Centre · Moravian Brethren Mission House · Nuuk Art Museum · Nuuk Cathedral · Nuuk Tourist Office · Seamen's Home · Statue of Hans Egede Sport Godthåbhallen · Nuuk Marathon · Nuuk Stadium Transport Arctic Umiaq Line · Nuuk Airport · Nuuk Port and Harbour · Nuup Bussii · Royal Arctic Line · Royal Greenland

Cities, towns, and villages in Greenland Kujalleq Aappilattoq · Alluitsup Paa · Ammassivik · Eqalugaarsuit · Igaliku · Nanortalik · Narsaq · Narsarmijit · Narsarsuaq · Qaqortoq · Qassiarsuk · Qassimiut · Saarloq · Tasiusaq Qaasuitsup Aappilattoq · Aasiaat · Akunnaaq · Attu · Iginniarfik · Ikamiut · Ikerasaarsuk · Ikerasak · Ilimanaq · Illorsuit · Ilulissat · Innaarsuit · Kangaatsiaq · Kangerluk · Kangersuatsiaq · Kitsissuarsuit · Kullorsuaq · Moriusaq · Naajaat · Niaqornaarsuk · Niaqornat · Nutaarmiut · Nuugaatsiaq · Nuussuaq · Oqaatsut · Qaanaaq · Qaarsut · Qasigiannguit · Qeqertaq · Qeqertarsuaq · Qeqertat · Saattut · Saqqaq · Savissivik · Siorapaluk · Tasiusaq · Ukkusissat · Upernavik · Upernavik Kujalleq · Uummannaq Qeqqata Atammik · Itilleq · Kangaamiut · Kangerlussuaq · Maniitsoq · Napasoq · Sarfannguit · Sisimiut Sermersooq Arsuk · Isortoq · Ittoqqortoormiit · Kangilinnguit · Kapisillit · Kulusuk · Kuummiit · Nuuk · Paamiut · Qeqertarsuatsiaat · Sermiligaaq · Tasiilaq · Tiniteqilaaq

Capitals of North America     Basse-Terre, Guadeloupe1 Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis Belmopan, Belize Bridgetown, Barbados Castries, Saint Lucia Charlotte Amalie, United States Virgin Islands2 Cockburn Town, Turks and Caicos Islands3 Fort-de-France, Martinique1 George Town, Cayman Islands3 Guatemala City, Guatemala Gustavia, Saint Barthélemy4 Hamilton, Bermuda3 Havana, Cuba Kingston, Jamaica Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Kralendijk, Bonaire5 Managua, Nicaragua Marigot, Saint Martin4 Mexico City, Mexico Nassau, The Bahamas Nuuk, Greenland6 Oranjestad, Aruba7 Oranjestad, Sint Eustatius5 Ottawa, Canada Panama City, Panama Philipsburg, Sint Maarten7 Plymouth (de jure), Brades (de facto), Montserrat3 Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago Port-au-Prince, Haiti Road Town, British Virgin Islands3 Roseau, Dominica Saint-Pierre, Saint Pierre and Miquelon4 San José, Costa Rica San Juan, Puerto Rico2 San Salvador, El Salvador Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic St. George's, Grenada St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda Tegucigalpa, Honduras The Bottom, Saba5 The Valley, Anguilla3 Washington, D.C., United States Willemstad, Curaçao7 1 Overseas Department of France.  2 Insular area of the United States.  3 Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom.  4 Overseas Collectivity of France.  5 Public body of the Netherlands.6 Constituent country within the Kingdom of Denmark.7 Constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.