Simiutaq Island
Encyclopedia
Simiutaq Island is a 13 by 10 km (8.1 by 6.2 mi) uninhabited island in the Qeqqata
municipality in western Greenland
, located in the mouth of the long Kangerlussuaq Fjord
.
Supply ships of Royal Greenland
and cruise ships, such as Norway
's Hurtigruten
sail into Kangerlussuaq Fjord south of the island. The fjord is navigable in its entire length, with the ships mooring at the Kangerlussuaq
port, west of Kangerlussuaq Airport
. There are several small skerries
in the mouth of the fjord, at the southern end of Simiutaq Island.
, separated from the mainland by the Amerluunguaq Strait in the north, and by the main arm of the Kangerlussuaq Fjord in the southeast.
Simiutaq is not an outlying island; it would have been a continuation of the landmass in the north were it not for the narrow and shallow Amerlunnguaq Strait, which branches to the west off Kangerlussuaq Fjord near the mouth of the latter. Simiutaq is roughly triangular in shape, mostly hilly, with low undulading plain in the north, and the highest point at 775 m (2,542.7 ft).
, located on a small island on the shores of Davis Strait, approximately 26 km (16.2 mi) south of the island.
Qeqqata
Qeqqata is a new municipality in western Greenland, operational from 1 January 2009. The municipality was named after its location in central-western part of the country. Its population is 9,677 as of January 2010. The administrative center of the municipality is in Sisimiut...
municipality in western Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
, located in the mouth of the long Kangerlussuaq Fjord
Kangerlussuaq Fjord
Kangerlussuaq Fjord is a long fjord in the Qeqqata municipality in central-western Greenland. The fjord is long and between and wide, flowing from the estuary of Qinnguata Kuussua river to the southwest, and emptying into Davis Strait...
.
Supply ships of Royal Greenland
Royal Greenland
Royal Greenland A/S is a fishing company in Greenland. The company operates in a number of towns and settlements in Greenland, with 20 fish processing plants and ship bases of local subsidiary units...
and cruise ships, such as Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
's Hurtigruten
Hurtigruten
Hurtigruten or Hurtigruta is a Norwegian passenger and freight line with daily sailings along Norway's western and northern coast. Sometimes referred to in English as Norwegian Coastal Express, Hurtigruten ships sail almost the entire length of the country, completing the roundtrip journey in 11...
sail into Kangerlussuaq Fjord south of the island. The fjord is navigable in its entire length, with the ships mooring at the Kangerlussuaq
Kangerlussuaq
Kangerlussuaq is a settlement in western Greenland in the Qeqqata municipality, located at the head of a fjord of the same name. It is Greenland's main air transport hub, being the site of Greenland's largest commercial airport....
port, west of Kangerlussuaq Airport
Kangerlussuaq Airport
Kangerlussuaq Airport is an airport in Kangerlussuaq, a settlement in the Qeqqata municipality in central-western Greenland. Alongside Narsarsuaq Airport, it is one of only two civilian airports in Greenland large enough to handle large airliners, having more stable weather, being located further...
. There are several small skerries
Skerry
A skerry is a small rocky island, usually defined to be too small for habitation. It may simply be a rocky reef. A skerry can also be called a low sea stack....
in the mouth of the fjord, at the southern end of Simiutaq Island.
Geography
The island is located on the shores of Davis StraitDavis Strait
Davis Strait is a northern arm of the Labrador Sea. It lies between mid-western Greenland and Nunavut, Canada's Baffin Island. The strait was named for the English explorer John Davis , who explored the area while seeking a Northwest Passage....
, separated from the mainland by the Amerluunguaq Strait in the north, and by the main arm of the Kangerlussuaq Fjord in the southeast.
Simiutaq is not an outlying island; it would have been a continuation of the landmass in the north were it not for the narrow and shallow Amerlunnguaq Strait, which branches to the west off Kangerlussuaq Fjord near the mouth of the latter. Simiutaq is roughly triangular in shape, mostly hilly, with low undulading plain in the north, and the highest point at 775 m (2,542.7 ft).
Promontories
| Direction | Latitude N | Longitude W |
|---|---|---|
| Northwestern Cape | 66°05′10″ | 53°40′45″ |
| Eastern Cape | 66°04′43″ | 53°24′13″ |
| Southern Cape | 66°01′29″ | 53°34′00″ |
Settlement
The closest settlement is KangaamiutKangaamiut
Kangaamiut is a settlement in the Qeqqata municipality in central-western Greenland, with a population of 357 as of 2010.- Geography :...
, located on a small island on the shores of Davis Strait, approximately 26 km (16.2 mi) south of the island.