Northeast Greenland National Park

Northeast Greenland National Park covers around 972,000 square kilometres, which makes it larger than any other national park in the world and larger than most countries, and it has no permanent population at all: a few military patrol and research stations are the only occupied points. Musk oxen, polar bears and walrus live there. Entry requires a permit from the Greenland government and effectively requires joining an expedition ship or an organised trip.

Background

The park was created in 1974 as the first national park in the Kingdom of Denmark, and in 1988 another 272000 square kilometres were added, bringing it to an extent that places it between Tanzania and Egypt in area; no national park in the world lies further north. It became an international biosphere reserve in January 1977. About 400 sites see occasional use in summer, and in 2008 the winter population was 31 people and about 110 dogs, at stations such as the Danmarkshavn weather station and Summit Camp on the ice sheet. An estimated 5,000 to 15,000 musk oxen live near the coasts; in 1993 that was put at 40% of the world population.

Source: Wikipedia, "Northeast Greenland National Park"

Highlights

• The scale - around 972,000 square kilometres, larger than any other national park.
• The emptiness - no permanent population anywhere within it.
• The musk oxen - large herds across the tundra of the park.
• The polar bears - the coastal population along the pack ice.

When to go

July to August is the only practical window when ships can reach the coast. The rest of the year the coast is closed by ice. Permits take time to arrange.

Good to know

A permit from the Greenland government is required and applications take time. Independent travel is effectively impossible; almost everyone comes on an expedition ship. Costs are very high.

Nearby

Scoresby Sund is south, and Ittoqqortoormiit is at its southern edge.

Key facts