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Tourist Guide and Information about Greenland

 

 

 

Greenland (Grønland; Kalaallit Nunaat) is the largest island in the world, stretches north-south direction for 2650 km between 83°39' and 59°46' north latitude; located in the North Atlantic Ocean, between the Davis Strait and the Baffin Bay that separate from Canada, and Denmark Strait that separates from Iceland. Politically Greenland belongs to Denmark, of which is a county with full legislative and administrative autonomy. Most of Greenland is covered by ice (known as the Greenland ice sheet) thickness sometimes exceeding 2000 meters, which covers about 85% of the total area (1,833,900 sqkm) and has a territorial extension of 2.500 km from north to south and 1.000 km from east to west, 10% of the world's freshwater can be found in Greenland. The ice-free area only covers a total of 341,700 square kilometres. Approximately one-twentieth of the world's ice and one-quarter of the earth's surface ice is found in Greenland. The vegetation is very limited and consists mainly of lichens, mosses and shrubs, with little birch forests along the southern and western coasts, where the climate is tempered by warm sea currents. The island presents mountains over 3000 meters, the highest are the Gunnbjørns Fjeld (3.700 meters) and Mount Forel (3.383 meters).

Climate: In Greenland sudden changes in weather are common, and you have to be prepared for all types of weather when on an excursion. During the winter, temperatures range from - 5°C to - 30°C and in the summer from 5°C to 15°C. As the air in Greenland is very dry, temperatures do not feel as cold as in Europe. The summer, which often runs fromm June all the way into September, is Greenland’s high season.

 

Tourist attractions: The main attraction for tourists in Greenland are the wonderful country Arctic landscapes. Even natural phenomena such as the aurora borealis, are attractive for a stay in these latitudes, to remember that the aurora borealis occurs all year but that can be seen only with a dark and clear night sky, that means that it is more easily seen in the autumn months, but that can also be seen until March, but disappears from view in the bright summer nights. Another natural phenomenon is the midnight sun that can be seen from Qaanaaq from April 19 to August 24; from Uummannaq from May 16 to July 28; from Ilulissat from May 25 to July 25. For nature lovers interesting is also the observation of wildlife, represented by reindeer, muskox, white bears, wolves, arctic foxes and hares, seals, whales. 

There is 1 Greenlandic place in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites: the Ilulissat Icefjord (2004). Between the properties submitted on the Tentative List are: Church ruin at Hvalsø, episcopal residence at Gardar, and Brattahlid (A Norse/Eskimo cultural landscape) (2003); Aasivissuit, Arnangarnup Qoorua (Greenlandic inland and coastal hunting area) (2003).

Travel Documents: In general, passport and visa regulations are the same as those that apply in Denmark. Greenland is, like Norway and Iceland, party to the Schengen Agreement even though it is not a member of the EU. All travellers to Greenland must have in their possession a valid passport which expires no less than three months after their stay in Greenland.

Health: Greenland is a safe destination to travel. There is a hospital in all towns, and in the settlements there is usually a nursing clinic. It is recommended that visitors bring their own medicine and any other medication that is used regularly, as special products are not always available. In the event of acute illness, treatment is free of charge in Greenland.

Electricity: In Greenland the mains supply is 220 Volts, and plugs are of the European type, i.e. with two round pins.

Cuisine: The national Greenlandic dish is the suaasat, seal meat boiled with rice and onions. Another specialty is the mattak, whale skin with a thin layer of fat is eaten raw, cut into squares. For our palates is probably the most savory version of mattak grilled, roasted with onions and brown or boiled potatoes. Among the fishes are the smoked fish, mussels, redfish fillet, marinated trout, and shrimp. GREENLANDIC CUISINE RECIPES.

Typical products: local products such as tupilak (statuettes of evil spirits) carved in wood, bone, teeth of animals and steatite (soapstone). Other crafts such as figurines of people and animals, carved in the Narwhal tooth, in the reindeer horn or soapstone (steatite). 

WHERE TO STAY:

Accommodations in Greenland:

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Travelling by ship: The passenger ship Sarfaq Ittuk from Arctic Umiaq Line plies a regular service between Narsarsuaq in South Greenland and Ilulissat in North Greenland during the period from April to December. Between May and January are active the navigation services throughout the west coast, served by vessels of the shipping company KNI- Pilersuisoq.

Airports and Flights: On Greenland territory there are three international airports served by airliners. The internal air links are served by Air Greenland (former Grønlandsfly). There are flights from Iceland (Air Iceland has flights from Reykjavik to Kulusuk and Narsarsuaq), Denmark (Greenland Air has flights from Copenhagen to Kangerlussuaq and Narsarsuaq with connections to all locations of Greenland), the USA (Air Greenland has flying start from 2007 from Baltimore to Kangerlussuaq). 

Area: 2,175,600 sqkm

Population: 55,000 mainly Inuit (Eskimo).

State Capital: Nuuk (Godthåb).

Language: Danish and Kalaallisut (Greenlandic). English is known by most of the population.

Religion: Lutheran.

Currency: Danish Kroner (DKK)

Time: GMT -3 is used as the country's official time. Summer time (daylight saving time) and winter time follow the European Union system.

 

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