Qaanaaq#Climate

File:QaanaaqGreenland (cropped).jpg

Qaanaaq is located in the northern entrance of the Inglefield Fjord. The village of Qeqertat is located in the Harvard Islands, near the head of the fjord.{{cite web|url=https://mapcarta.com/Qaanaaq|title=Qaanaaq|work=Mapcarta|access-date=27 March 2019}}

File:Inuit man demonstrates traditional kayaking technique used for hunting on narwhals.jpg man demonstrates kayaking techniques in the waters off Qaanaaq]]

The Qaanaaq area in northern Greenland was first settled around 2000 BCE by Paleo-Eskimos migrating from the Canadian Arctic.Fortescue, Michael. Language Relations Across Bering Strait: Reappraising the Archaeological and Linguistic Evidence. Open Linguistic Press, Cassell, 1998. {{ISBN|0-304-70330-3}} These people were displaced by the Thule culture, which followed the same migration route around 1100 CE. By 1600, climatic effects of the Little Ice Age caused the semi-nomadic Thule culture in Greenland to fragment into isolated groups, with inhabitants of the northwest diverging as the Inughuit. As they lost access to open water due to thickening sea ice, they lost the ability to build boats and had limited hunting opportunities.{{cite book

|first=Lyle

|last=Dick

|title=Muskox Land: Ellesmere Island in the Age of Contact

|publisher=University of Calgary Press

|year=2001

|pages=11, 29

|isbn=978-1-55238-050-5

|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=seWk7ZVSE7sC

}}

In 1818, Sir John Ross's expedition made first contact with nomadic Inuktun (Polar Eskimos) in the area. In 1910 explorers Knud Rasmussen and Peter Freuchen established a missionary and trading post at North Star Bay. They called the site "Thule" after classical ultima Thule; the Inuit called it Umanaq or Uummannaq ("heart-shaped"), and the site is commonly called "Dundas" today. The United States abandoned its territorial claims in the area in 1917 in connection with the purchase of the Virgin Islands. Denmark assumed control of the village in 1937.

A cluster of huts known as Pituffik stood on the wide plain where Thule Air Base was built in 1951. The affected locals moved across the bay to the historical Thule settlement, which was connected to the base by an ice road. The joint Danish-American defense area, designated by treaty, also occupies considerable inland territory in addition to the air base itself.

{{cite web

|url=http://pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/arctic/Arctic29-2-83.pdf

|title=Thule

|last=Gilberg

|first=Rolf

|access-date=2012-07-13

}} In 1953 the USAF planned to expand the base and construct an air defense site near Thule. In order to prevent contact with soldiers in a way deemed "unhealthy", the Danish government forcibly relocated "Old Thule" and about 130 inhabitants to Qaanaaq or "New Thule", {{convert|100|km|abbr=on}} to the north, within four days in winter. A modern new village was then built at Qaanaaq.

In a Danish Supreme Court judgment of 28 November 2003 the relocation was considered an expropriative intervention. During the proceedings it was recognized by the Danish government that it was a serious interference and an unlawful act against the local population. The Thule tribe was awarded damages of 500,000 kroner, and the individual members of the tribe who had been exposed to the transfer were granted compensation of 15,000 or 25,000 each. A Danish radio station continued to operate at Dundas, and the abandoned houses remained. The USAF only used that site for about a decade, and it has since returned to civilian use.

File:Qaanaaq houses.jpg

Ways of living so far north and in such severe climatic conditions are passed on from generation to generation, and this ability to adapt has contributed to the survival of this small settlement. When the sea becomes open sometime around August, large dinghies with powerful engines are used for both hunting trips and ordinary journeys. There is still sunlight twenty-four hours a day at this time—the midnight sun lasts from the middle of April to the end of August. Scarcity of resources requires they use every part of a harvested animal: the skins are used for clothing and covering the kayaks; the flesh and offal are eaten by humans and domestic animals; the narwhal and walrus tusks are carved into finely-worked figures, jewellery and hunting implements; and feathers can be used in handicrafts.{{citation needed|date=April 2012}}

The town is part of the region of Avannaata, which is represented by a 17-member council and mayor.

With 646 inhabitants as of 2020, Qaanaaq is the largest settlement in the far north of the country. Its population has been relatively stable with only minor fluctuations since the mid-1990s.Statistics Greenland, [http://bank.stat.gl/Dialog/varval.asp?ma=BEEST4&path=../Database/Greenland/Population/Population%20in%20Greenland/&lang=1 Population in localities]

{{wide image|Qaanaaq-population-dynamics.png|600px|alt=Qaanaaq population dynamics|Qaanaaq population growth dynamics, 1991–2010. Source: Statistics Greenland}}The city, with its relatively low population and tradition of hunting, currently has more huskies than human residents.

Qaanaaq has a cold tundra climate (Köppen climate classification ET), and hence it has long, cold winters. July and August are the warmest months, and peak high temperatures rarely exceeding {{cvt|20|C|F}} occur in June and July.

{{Weather box

| location = Qaanaaq (1995–2020)

| metric first = yes

| single line = yes

| Jan record high C = 5.9

| Feb record high C = 4.1

| Mar record high C = 9.8

| Apr record high C = 6.0

| May record high C = 14.0

| Jun record high C = 20.9

| Jul record high C = 20.3

| Aug record high C = 17.6

| Sep record high C = 13.3

| Oct record high C = 12.5

| Nov record high C = 9.0

| Dec record high C = 8.3

| year record high C =

| Jan high C = -18.1

| Feb high C = -19.1

| Mar high C = -16.9

| Apr high C = -8.3

| May high C = 0.5

| Jun high C = 6.4

| Jul high C = 10.0

| Aug high C = 8.4

| Sep high C = 2.4

| Oct high C = -4.2

| Nov high C = -9.8

| Dec high C = -14.6

| year high C =

| Jan mean C = -21.7

| Feb mean C = -23.0

| Mar mean C = -21.7

| Apr mean C = -13.8

| May mean C = -3.7

| Jun mean C = 3.0

| Jul mean C = 6.6

| Aug mean C = 5.5

| Sep mean C = -0.4

| Oct mean C = -6.7

| Nov mean C = -12.6

| Dec mean C = -17.8

| year mean C =

| Jan low C = -25.2

| Feb low C = -26.8

| Mar low C = -26.3

| Apr low C = -19.3

| May low C = -8.5

| Jun low C = -0.1

| Jul low C = 3.4

| Aug low C = 2.9

| Sep low C = -2.8

| Oct low C = -9.1

| Nov low C = -15.5

| Dec low C = -21.1

| year low C =

| Jan record low C = -40.5

| Feb record low C = -40.0

| Mar record low C = -41.2

| Apr record low C = -33.0

| May record low C = -23.1

| Jun record low C = -6.4

| Jul record low C = -3.0

| Aug record low C = -6.7

| Sep record low C = -15.4

| Oct record low C = -29.8

| Nov record low C = -32.5

| Dec record low C = -36.9

| year record low C =

| precipitation colour = green

| Jan precipitation mm = 6

| Feb precipitation mm = 6

| Mar precipitation mm = 4

| Apr precipitation mm = 6

| May precipitation mm = 7

| Jun precipitation mm = 7

| Jul precipitation mm = 16

| Aug precipitation mm = 24

| Sep precipitation mm = 18

| Oct precipitation mm = 12

| Nov precipitation mm = 10

| Dec precipitation mm = 8

| year precipitation mm = 124

| unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm

| Jan precipitation days = 2

| Feb precipitation days = 2

| Mar precipitation days = 1

| Apr precipitation days = 2

| May precipitation days = 2

| Jun precipitation days = 2

| Jul precipitation days = 4

| Aug precipitation days = 4

| Sep precipitation days = 4

| Oct precipitation days = 3

| Nov precipitation days = 3

| Dec precipitation days = 2

| year precipitation days = 31

|humidity colour=green

| Jan humidity = 64.1

| Feb humidity = 66.5

| Mar humidity = 64.9

| Apr humidity = 64.8

| May humidity = 70.1

| Jun humidity = 76.5

| Jul humidity = 76.1

| Aug humidity = 73.6

| Sep humidity = 63.2

| Oct humidity = 62.6

| Nov humidity = 61.7

| Dec humidity = 64.3

| year humidity =

| Jan sun = 0

| Feb sun = 8

| Mar sun = 150

| Apr sun = 251

| May sun = 316

| Jun sun = 273

| Jul sun = 271

| Aug sun = 175

| Sep sun = 155

| Oct sun = 49

| Nov sun = 0

| Dec sun = 0

| year sun = 1648

| source 1 = NOAA (precipitation, precipitation days and sunshine 1961–1990){{cite web

| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/normals/WMO/1961-1990/RA-VI/GL/04202.TXT

| title = Thule Air Base Climate Normals 1961–1990

| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

| access-date = 14 February 2013}}{{cite web

| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/normals/WMO/1961-1990/RA-VI/GL/00034204.TXT

| title = Thule Climate Normals 1961–1990

| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

| access-date = 14 February 2013}}

| source 2 = Danish Meteorological Institute (temperatures and humidity 1995–2020){{cite web |url=https://www.dmi.dk/fileadmin/Rapporter/2021/DMI_report_21_12_Greenland.pdf |title=Climatological Standard Normals 1991–2020 – Greenland |website=www.dmi.dk |access-date=14 March 2023}}{{cite web |url=https://ogimet.com/cgi-bin/gsynres?ind=04205&ano=2021&mes=12&day=21&hora=12&min=0&ndays=30|title= 04205: Mittarfik Qaanaaq (Greenland)|author= |date= 20 December 2021|website=ogimet.com |publisher=OGIMET |access-date= 21 December 2021|quote=}}

| date = August 2010

| source =

}}

Qaanaaq Airport is {{convert|5|km|mi|abbr=on}} along the coast from the town. Air Greenland operates fixed-wing aircraft services to and from Upernavik Airport, with further connections to Ilulissat Airport and Qaarsut Airport. Settlement flights operate to Siorapaluk, sporadically to Moriusaq, and to Savissivik via Pituffik Space Base.{{cite web |url=http://book.airgreenland.com/ |publisher=Air Greenland |title=Booking system |access-date=9 June 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100422211033/http://book.airgreenland.com/ |archive-date=22 April 2010 }}

File:Infrasound Arrays.jpg

There are a few unpaved dirt roads in Qaanaaq. Only the road to the airport leaves the town. Pickup trucks and SUVs are found, but skis, dogsleds and walking are better alternatives for getting around.[http://www.greenland.com/en/explore-greenland/nordgroenland/qaanaaq/practical-info.aspx Practical info – The Official Tourism Site of Greenland]

There is a small hospital (built in the 1950s and rebuilt in 1996) with basic health care offered. More advanced care requires transfer to other medical centers in Greenland by air.{{Cite web |url=http://www.reocities.com/thetropics/resort/9292/usqaanaaq.html |title=Qaanaaq, Greenland |access-date=21 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308194120/http://www.reocities.com/TheTropics/Resort/9292/usqaanaaq.html |archive-date=8 March 2016 |url-status=dead }} Dental care is offered in the form of a dentist who visits the town twice a year. Qaanaaq Hospital falls under the Avannaa health region.

A small local fire brigade is assisted by firefighters from the Pituffik Space Base.

Qaanaaq is home to a remote CTBTO infrasound listening station called IS-18, which uses an array of barometric sensors to detect possible nuclear tests around the world.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ctbto.org/verification-regime/featured-stations/types/infrasound/is18-qaanaaq-greenland-denmark/|title=IS18, Qaanaaq, Greenland, Denmark: CTBTO Preparatory Commission|website=www.ctbto.org|access-date=2016-09-19}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vULUkp7Ttss |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/vULUkp7Ttss| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|title=Listening for Nuclear Tests at the Top of the World|last=Scott|first=Tom|author-link=Tom Scott (entertainer)|date=12 September 2016|publisher=YouTube|access-date=20 September 2016}}{{cbignore}} The station is maintained by the Danish Meteorological Institute, and as of 2016 the current operator is Svend Erik Ascanius.

The local school, Avanersuup Atuarfia, has around 120 pupils in forms 1 to 10. There is also a boarding school which holds about 20 students from surrounding settlements. The town kindergarten has a capacity of 34 children while the day nursery can hold up to 12.{{Cite web|url=http://qaasuitsup-kp.cowi.webhouse.dk/en/plans_for_towns_and_settlements/qaanaaq/|title=Qaanaaq|last=Administrator|first=Odeum|website=qaasuitsup-kp.cowi.webhouse.dk|language=en|access-date=2018-09-13}}

{{Reflist}}

{{refbegin}}

• {{Cite news |last=Kaplan |first=Sarah |date=March 9, 2024 |title=How one of the coldest, darkest towns on Earth is trying to get more energy from the sun |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2024/03/09/greenland-renewable-energy/ |work=Washington Post}}
• Murray, Louise. 2006. "On Thin Ice – Louise Murray Travels to Qaanaaq in Northern Greenland to See the Effect That Climate Change Is Having on Subsistence Hunters and Their Prey". Geographical : the Royal Geographical Society Magazine. 32.
• Remie, C. H. W. Facing the Future Inughuit Youth of Qaanaaq : Report of the 1998 University of Nijmegen Student Expedition to Qaanaaq, Thule District, Northern Greenland. Nijmegen: Nijmegen University Press, 1999. {{ISBN|90-5710-078-9}}

{{refend}}

{{Commons category|Qaanaaq}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20190629221608/http://qaasuitsup-kp.cowi.webhouse.dk/en/plans_for_towns_and_settlements/qaanaaq/ Qaasuitsup Municipality {{!}} Qaanaaq {{!}} qaasuitsup-kp.cowi.webhouse.dk]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20100613145103/http://www.reocities.com/TheTropics/Resort/9292/uspage2.html Tour Qaanaaq Municipality Facilities {{!}} reocities.com]
• {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20140222035543/http://www.themostnorthernplace.com/ The Most Northern Place {{!}} themostnorthernplace.com]}}

{{Settlements in Greenland}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Populated places in Greenland

Category:Populated places established in the 1950s

Category:Populated places of Arctic Greenland

Category:1950s establishments in Greenland

Category:Pituffik Space Base

Category:Avannaata