Western Greenland
Western Greenland (Greenlandic: Kitaa, Danish: Vestgrønland) is a region of Greenland. Home to the capital, Nuuk, this is the part of Greenland that you would probably think of if you've only seen the stereotypical picture. Large icebergs can be seen floating in the ocean with dogsled trips from one small settlement to another. In these settlements, fish and sharkmeat are often hanging outside small colorful houses along with the constant barking of dogs in the background.
Cities
- 1 Nuuk (Danish: Godthåb) – Capital of Greenland
- 2 Aasiaat (Danish: Egedesminde)
- 3 Ilulissat (Danish: Jacobshavn)
- 4 Kangerlussuaq (Danish: Søndre Strømfjord, English: Sondrestrom)
- 5 Maniitsoq
(Danish: Sukkertoppen) - 6 Oqaatsut (Danish: Rodebay)
- 7 Paamiut (Danish: Frederikshåb)
- 8 Qasigiannguit
- 9 Sisimiut (Danish: Holsteinsborg)
- 10 Uummannaq (Danish: Umanak)
Understand
Get in
By plane
The trans-oceanic service to Greenland either lands at Kangerlussuaq, Narsarsuaq (the only two airports in the country which can accept anything larger than a turboprop), or the capital Nuuk from Iceland and Canada with smaller planes in the summer.
Kangerlussaq is the main hub with daily flights year-around. The other international flights are seasonal.
From Kangerlussaq, you can reach any other city or settlement in the country, through Air Greenland's domestic network.
Read the Greenland page for more information.
Get around
There is no road system between settlements. The easiest way to get around Greenland is by plane, particularly Air Greenland. Within Western Greenland, there are airports at Aasiaat, Ilulissat, Kangerlussuaq, Maniitsoq, Nuuk, Paamiut, Qaarsut and Sisimiut. Air Greenland also operates helicopter flights to smaller settlements.
In the summer, Arctic Umiaq Line passenger ships provide service to destinations between Narsarsuaq and Uummannaq along the west coast. Diskoline passenger ships provide service to settlements around Ilulissat.
See
Do
Eat
Suaasat is their national dish. A soup usually made out of rice, onions, bayleaf, seal, or whale, reindeer, or sea-birds.
Petrified Greenland shark is also eaten. It is not as popular as it is in Iceland, and is an acquired taste. The Icelandic name of the dish is Hákarl.