Avannaata

Avannaata is a large municipality in Greenland. It was created on 1 January 2018 when the former Qaasuitsup municipality was split. The name Avannaata means "The North" in Danish.

The municipality covers a huge area of 522,700 km². It is home to 10,989 people. Avannaata is an important part of Greenland, showing the way the country is organized into different regions.

Geography

Avannaata is located in Greenland. To the south, it is next to the Qeqertalik municipality. In the southeast, it borders the Sermersooq municipality, with the border running through the middle of the Greenland ice sheet. In the east and northeast, it is next to the Northeast Greenland National Park. There is also a special area called Pituffik Space Base along the coast, which is managed by the United States Space Force.

At the southern end of Avannaata's coastline is Disko Bay, a part of the larger Baffin Bay. The northeastern part of Baffin Bay has many islands from the Upernavik Archipelago. In the far northwest, near Qaanaaq and Siorapaluk, the coastline reaches into Nares Strait, which lies between Greenland and Canada’s Ellesmere Island. Avannaata also includes the eastern half of Hans Island, while the western half is part of Canada’s Qiqiktaluuk Region.

Politics

Avannaata's municipal council has 17 members who are elected every four years.

Administrative divisions

Main article: List of cities and towns in Greenland

Avannaata is a big area in Greenland with many towns and villages. Some of the places in the Ilulissat area include Ilulissat, Ilimanaq, Oqaatsut, Qeqertaq, and Saqqaq.

In the Qaanaaq area, you can find Qaanaaq, Qeqertat, Savissivik, and Siorapaluk.

The Uummannaq area has Uummannaq, Ikerasak, Illorsuit, Niaqornat, Nuugaatsiaq, Qaarsut, Saattut, and Ukkusissat.

In the Upernavik area, there is Upernavik and other towns like Aappilattoq, Innaarsuit, Kangersuatsiaq, Kullorsuaq, Naajaat, Nutaarmiut, Nuussuaq, Tasiusaq, Tussaaq, and Upernavik Kujalleq.

Language

Main article: Greenlandic language

In Avannaata, people mainly speak a language called Kalaallisut, especially in towns along the western and northwestern coasts. Another language, Inuktun, is spoken around the town of Qaanaaq.