Greenland
Greenland, Kalaallit Nunaat (‚land of the people‘), is the largest island in the world and a part of the self-governing Kingdom of Denmark. The Greenlandic population are mainly Inuit, who call themselves Kalaallit (West), Inugguit (Thule) or Tunumiut (East). The capital is Nuuk (Godthåb) in western Greenland.
An undersea ridge connects Greenland to North America.
Greenland is covered by a massive ice sheet that has an average thickness of 5,000 feet (1,500 meters) and a maximum thickness of about 10,000 feet (3,000 meters). It covers 80% of the total land area of Greenland.
The ice-free areas are almost completely free of trees, however, some dwarf birches, willows and alder bushes manage to survive the harsh climate. There are few land mammal species, including polar bears, musk oxen, reindeer, arctic foxes, arctic hares and lemmings. Seals and whales are common, as are many species of marine fish and invertebrates. In lakes and rivers mostly only the arctic char can be found.
There are 18 communities where the vast majority of people live. The total population is just over 56,000. Less than 10% of them live in East Greenland.
East Greenland
The “capital” of East Greenland is Tasiilaq, which is located on the island of Ammassalik. About 2,000 people live in Tasiilaq and about 3,800 in Tunu (East Greenland). Besides
Tasiilaq there are the settlements of Kulusuk, Isortoq, Tiilerilaaq, Kuummiut and Sermiligaaq.
Further north, Ittoqqortoormiit (Scorsbysund) is the northernmost inhabited place on the east coast, while a vast national park covers all of north-east Greenland.
There is still a strong hunting and fishing culture in East Greenland. Here people came into contact with Western culture much later than on the west coast of Greenland, where whalers established bases early on.
The mission station in Tasiilaq was only founded in 1894, after an expedition a few years earlier had first confirmed that people lived on the east coast.
The region of East Greenland can now be described as more original than, for example, the region around Disko Bay, which is quite touristy.
Ammassalik
Ammassalik Island is one of the ten largest islands of Greenland and stretches 37.5 km (23.5 miles) north-south and 31 km (19.25 miles) west-east.
The interior of the island is characterized by mountains with an alpine character. There are some lakes and glaciers. The only inhabited settlement today is the town of Tasiilaq.
The western settlements of Akerninnaq and Pupik (near the Icecamp) have been abandoned since the mid-20th century. On two side islands are the villages of Ikkatteq to the west and Qernertivartivit to the east, which were abandoned in the early 21st century.
The island is also home to Sermilik Station, a glaciological research station.
Sermilikfjord
With a length of 85 kilometers, the Sermilik (“the one with the glaciers”) is the largest fjord system in south-east Greenland. The only permanently inhabited settlement on the fjord is the village of Tiilerilaaq (about 70 inhabitants).
The fjord stretches roughly north-south to just south of the Arctic Circle. At the southern tip of the mountain region of Schweizerland, Helheimfjord and Midgardfjord unite to form Sermilikfjord. Centrally located in the fjord is the large bird island of Akernarit. The greatest width is about 14 km. The village of Tiilerilaaq is about halfway along the fjord. A little closer to the mouth is Johan Petersen Fjord with beautiful and accessible glaciers and fantastic views of the ice sheet.
The most important glacier is the Helheim Glacier, which accelerated from 8 to 11 km per year between 2000 and 2005, earning it ice stream status. As a result, it supplies the fjord with large amounts of ice and icebergs all year round.
The Icecamp is centrally located by the Sermilikfjord, with the village of Tiilerilaaq within easy reach by boat.