Qaanaaq

Qaanaaq lies at around seventy-seven degrees north in the far northwest, one of the northernmost towns in the world, with around six hundred people. The community was moved here in 1953 from Uummannaq at Thule when the American air base there expanded, a relocation that remains a live and painful subject. Hunting with dog sled and kayak continues here more than anywhere else in Greenland, and the sea ice is the working surface for months.

Background

Once called New Thule, Qaanaaq is the chief town of northern Avannaata municipality and had 591 residents in 2025. People here speak Inuktun, and many also speak Kalaallisut and Danish. Within Greenland only Qeqertat and Siorapaluk, both nearby, are public settlements farther north. Paleo-Eskimos from the Canadian Arctic first settled the area around 2000 BCE, and the Thule culture came along the same route around 1100 CE. By 1600 the Little Ice Age had split the Thule people into isolated groups, and those of the northwest became the Inughuit. Sir John Ross's expedition met them in 1818. The sun stays up around the clock from mid April until late August, and summer highs rarely pass 20 C.

Source: Wikipedia, "Qaanaaq"

What's there

• The dog sledding - hunting by sled still central to the community's life.
• The sea ice - the frozen surface used as the working ground for months.
• The latitude - one of the northernmost towns in the world at 77 degrees north.
• The kayak tradition - the hunting craft still built and used here.

When to go

March to May is the sledding season with light and firm ice. June to August has open water and midnight sun. Winter is dark for months.

What to expect

The 1953 relocation is a painful subject in the community and should be approached with care. Flights are infrequent and cancelled routinely; being stuck for a week is normal. Prices are extremely high and supplies limited.

Nearby

Siorapaluk is north, and Upernavik is south.

Key facts