Subdivisions of Greenland
Encyclopedia
Greenland
is divided into four municipalities: Kujalleq
, Qaasuitsup
, Qeqqata
, and Sermersooq
. The large Northeast Greenland National Park
is not part of any municipality (unincorporated
). The Thule Air Base
(Pituffik), located as an enclave within Qaasuitsup
municipality, is also an unincorporated area and does not belong to any municipality.
.
.
, the capital.
.
): Kitaa
/Vestgrønland (West Greenland), Tunu
/Østgrønland (East Greenland) and Avannaa
/Nordgrønland (North Greenland). Kitaa had 15 municipalities; Tunu had 2 and Avannaa had 1. The large Northeast Greenland National Park
was in both East Greenland and North Greenland, but not part of any municipality (unincorporated
).
Central part:
Northern part:
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...
is divided into four municipalities: Kujalleq
Kujalleq
Kujalleq is a new municipality in the southern tip of Greenland, operational from 1 January 2009. With 7,589 inhabitants as of January 2010, it is the least-populated municipality in Greenland. The administrative center of the municipality is in Qaqortoq...
, Qaasuitsup
Qaasuitsup
Qaasuitsup is a new municipality in Greenland, operational from 1 January 2009. As of January 2010 its population is 17,749. The administrative center of the municipality is in Ilulissat...
, Qeqqata
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...
, and Sermersooq
Sermersooq
Sermersooq is a new municipality in Greenland, operational from 1 January 2009. It is home to Nuuk , the capital of Greenland, and is the most populous municipality in the country, with 21,232 inhabitants as of January 2010...
. The large Northeast Greenland National Park
Northeast Greenland National Park
Northeast Greenland National Park is the largest national park in the world, with an area of , making the park larger than 163 countries. It is the only national park in Greenland, and the most northerly national park in the world, its most northerly point reaching slightly further than the most...
is not part of any municipality (unincorporated
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
). The Thule Air Base
Thule Air Base
Thule Air Base or Thule Air Base/Pituffik Airport , is the United States Air Force's northernmost base, located north of the Arctic Circle and from the North Pole on the northwest side of the island of Greenland. It is approximately east of the North Magnetic Pole.-Overview:Thule Air Base is the...
(Pituffik), located as an enclave within Qaasuitsup
Qaasuitsup
Qaasuitsup is a new municipality in Greenland, operational from 1 January 2009. As of January 2010 its population is 17,749. The administrative center of the municipality is in Ilulissat...
municipality, is also an unincorporated area and does not belong to any municipality.
Qaasuitsup
Qaasuitsup is a new municipality in northwestern Greenland, operational from 1 January 2009. The administrative center of the municipality is in IlulissatIlulissat
Ilulissat is a town in the Qaasuitsup municipality in western Greenland, located approximately north of the Arctic Circle. With the population of 4,546 as of 2010, it is the third-largest settlement in Greenland, after Nuuk and Sisimiut....
.
Qeqqata
Qeqqata is a new municipality in western Greenland, operational from 1 January 2009. Its administrative center is in SisimiutSisimiut
Sisimiut is a town in central-western Greenland, located on the coast of Davis Strait, approximately north of Nuuk. It is the administrative center of the Qeqqata Municipality and the second-largest town in Greenland, with a population of 5,460 people as of 2010. The site of the present-day town...
.
Sermersooq
Sermersooq is a new municipality in southwestern Greenland, operational from 1 January 2009. Its administrative center is in NuukNuuk
Nuuk, is the capital of Greenland, the northernmost capital in North America and the largest city in Greenland. Located in the Nuup Kangerlua fjord, the city lies on the eastern shore of the Labrador Sea and on the west coast of Sermersooq. Nuuk is the largest cultural and economic center in...
, the capital.
Kujalleq
Kujalleq is a new municipality in southern Greenland, operational from 1 January 2009. Its administrative center is in QaqortoqQaqortoq
Qaqortoq is a town in the Kujalleq municipality in southern Greenland. With a population of 3,230 as of 2011, it is the most populous town in southern Greenland, and the fourth-largest town in the country. The name is western Greenlandic and means "[the] white [one]".- History :The area around...
.
History
Until 1 January 2009 Greenland consisted of three counties (amtAmt (subnational entity)
Amt is a type of administrative division governing a group of municipalities, today only found in Germany, but formerly also common in northern European countries. Its size and functions differ by country and the term is roughly equivalent to a U.S...
): Kitaa
Kitaa
Kitaa/Vestgrønland was the most populous of the three counties of Greenland, being home to almost 90% of the total population. The county seat was the Greenlandic capital, Nuuk....
/Vestgrønland (West Greenland), Tunu
Tunu
Tunu/Østgrønland was one of the three counties of Greenland, until 31 December 2008. The county seat was at the main settlement, Tasiilaq...
/Østgrønland (East Greenland) and Avannaa
Avannaa
Avannaa/Nordgrønland was one of the three counties of Greenland, until 31 December 2008...
/Nordgrønland (North Greenland). Kitaa had 15 municipalities; Tunu had 2 and Avannaa had 1. The large Northeast Greenland National Park
Northeast Greenland National Park
Northeast Greenland National Park is the largest national park in the world, with an area of , making the park larger than 163 countries. It is the only national park in Greenland, and the most northerly national park in the world, its most northerly point reaching slightly further than the most...
was in both East Greenland and North Greenland, but not part of any municipality (unincorporated
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
).
Kitaa (West Greenland)
Southern part:- Nanortalik Municipality
- Qaqortoq Municipality
- Narsaq MunicipalityNarsaq MunicipalityNarsaq Municipality was a municipality in south Greenland until 31 December 2008. The municipality consisted of Narsaq, and the settlements Qassiarsuk, Igaliku, and Narsarsuaq. Its administrative center was the town of Narsaq...
- Ivittuut Municipality
- Paamiut MunicipalityPaamiut MunicipalityPaamiut Municipality was a municipality in Greenland until 31 December 2008. its area is now incorporated into the new Sermersooq municipality....
Central part:
- Nuuk MunicipalityNuuk MunicipalityNuuk Municipality was one of the municipalities of Greenland until 31 December 2008. On 1 January 2009, it was merged with four other former municipalities into the new Sermersooq municipality. The central town is Nuuk....
- Maniitsoq MunicipalityManiitsoq MunicipalityManiitsoq Municipality was a municipality in Greenland until 31 December 2008. Its administrative center was Maniitsoq. It was incorporated along with Sisimiut Municipality into the new Qeqqata municipality on 1 January 2009....
- Sisimiut MunicipalitySisimiut MunicipalitySisimiut Municipality was a municipality in Greenland until 31 December 2008. Its administrative center was Sisimiut. Within its borders were also the settlements of Itilleq and Sarfannguaq, as well as the settlement of Kangerlussuaq, which has Greenland's largest airport. It was incorporated...
- Kangaatsiaq Municipality
- Aasiaat Municipality
- Qasigiannguit Municipality
- Ilulissat Municipality
- Qeqertarsuaq Municipality
Northern part:
- Uummannaq Municipality
- Upernavik MunicipalityUpernavik MunicipalityUpernavik Municipality was one of the municipalities of Greenland, until 31 December 2008. The municipality was home to approximately 3,000 people, while 1,144 live in the town of Upernavik, and the remainder live in ten other settlements, including Kullorsuaq, with a population of about 400...
- Northeast Greenland National ParkNortheast Greenland National ParkNortheast Greenland National Park is the largest national park in the world, with an area of , making the park larger than 163 countries. It is the only national park in Greenland, and the most northerly national park in the world, its most northerly point reaching slightly further than the most...
(small part) (unincorporatedUnincorporated areaIn law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
)
Tunu (East Greenland)
- Ammassalik Municipality
- Ittoqqortoormiit MunicipalityIttoqqortoormiit MunicipalityIttoqqortoormiit Municipality was one of the two municipalities of East Greenland. Since 1 January 2009 it has been incorporated into the Sermersooq municipality. It encompassed an area of 235,000 km² along the Denmark Strait and the Greenland Sea...
- Northeast Greenland National ParkNortheast Greenland National ParkNortheast Greenland National Park is the largest national park in the world, with an area of , making the park larger than 163 countries. It is the only national park in Greenland, and the most northerly national park in the world, its most northerly point reaching slightly further than the most...
(southern part) (unincorporatedUnincorporated areaIn law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
)
Avannaa (North Greenland)
- Qaanaaq MunicipalityQaanaaq MunicipalityQaanaaq Municipality was the only municipality in the county of North Greenland . It is now part of the municipality of Qaasuitsup.The Thule Air Base , which is not part of any municipality , is a part of the U.S...
- Thule Air BaseThule Air BaseThule Air Base or Thule Air Base/Pituffik Airport , is the United States Air Force's northernmost base, located north of the Arctic Circle and from the North Pole on the northwest side of the island of Greenland. It is approximately east of the North Magnetic Pole.-Overview:Thule Air Base is the...
(PituffikPituffikPituffik is a former settlement in northern Greenland, located at the current site of the American Thule Air Base. The former inhabitants were relocated to the present-day town of Qaanaaq...
) (unincorporatedUnincorporated areaIn law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
) - Northeast Greenland National ParkNortheast Greenland National ParkNortheast Greenland National Park is the largest national park in the world, with an area of , making the park larger than 163 countries. It is the only national park in Greenland, and the most northerly national park in the world, its most northerly point reaching slightly further than the most...
(northern part) (unincorporatedUnincorporated areaIn law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
)
See also
- Subdivisions of the Nordic countriesSubdivisions of the Nordic countriesThe countries and autonomous islands in the Nordic region have some similarly named country subdivisions, although their translations into English may differ.-Subdivisions of Denmark:*Mainland Denmark...
- ISO 3166-2:GLISO 3166-2:GLISO 3166-2:GL is the entry for Greenland in ISO 3166-2, part of the ISO 3166 standard published by the International Organization for Standardization , which defines codes for the names of the principal subdivisions of all countries coded in ISO 3166-1.Currently for Greenland, ISO 3166-2 codes are...