| Ukkusissat | |
|---|---|
 Ukkusissat | |
  UkkusissatLocation within Greenland | |
| Coordinates: 71°02′57″N 51°53′15″W / 71.04917°N 51.88750°W / 71.04917; -51.88750 | |
| State |  Kingdom of Denmark |
| Constituent country |  Greenland |
| Municipality | Avannaata |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Jakob Amossen |
| Population | |
| • Total | 154 |
| Time zone | UTC−02:00 (Western Greenland Time) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−01:00 (Western Greenland Summer Time) |
| Postal code | 3961 Uummannaq |
Ukkusissat (Greenlandic pronunciation: [ukːusisːat], old spelling: Uvkusigssat) is a settlement in Avannaata municipality, in northwestern Greenland. The population of the settlement was 154 in 2020. The name means soapstone.
Geography
The settlement abuts the northwestern tip of the peninsula of the same name, jutting from the mainland to the west and northwest and into the inner waterways of the Uummannaq Fjord system.
To the north of the settlement, Perlerfiup Kangerlua, a large inner fjord empties into the main branch of Uummannaq Fjord.
To the south and southwest across Torsukattak Strait are the high mountains of the Salleq Island and the much larger Appat Island, alongside the flat Qeqertat skerries.
History
Ukkusissat was founded in 1794 as an ousted or trading place. In 1798 there were 28 people living in Ukkusissat but it only was occupied continuously from the 1800s. In 1805 the town had only 18 inhabitants.
Economy
Fishing is the main occupation in Ukkusissat, with the fish processing plant located at the harbour; many inhabitants employed at Royal Greenland. Reinvigoration of mining activities in the nearby Maamorilik site−located northeast of the settlement on the northern side of Perlerfiup Kangerlua−will provide an economic boost to the local economy.
The community in Ukkusissat is served by Pilersuisoq, an all-purpose communal store. Tourism is underdeveloped, although during summer the settlement is visited by cruise ships, such as Norway's Hurtigruten. The harbour in Ukkusissat cannot handle large ships due to shallow coastal waters.
Transport
Air
Main article: Ukkusissat Heliport
Air Greenland serves the village as part of government contract, with flights between Ukkusissat Heliport and Uummannaq Heliport. Check-in for the helicopter flights is administered at Pilersuisoq.
Ground
In mid-winter, the only means of communication with Uummannaq and other settlements of the area is by dogsled, as district helicopters do not service the settlement at that time of year.
Population
The population of Ukkusissat has dropped by more than 12 percent relative to the 1990 levels, and by more than a quarter relative to the 2000 levels, decreasing in nearly every year of the last decade, and reflecting a general trend in the region.
Ukkusissat population growth dynamics in the last two decades. Source: Statistics Greenland
Photographs
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Houses and laundry in mid-summer
-
Pellerfiup Nunaa
-
Katersortarfiat, a "public house" used for parties, dancing, and other entertainment
-
Hunting guns in Pilersuisoq
-
Akuliarutsip Qaqaa. on the Ukkusissat Peninsula mountain range, view from Sermikassaq
References
- knr.gl (in Danish)
- "Population by Localities". Statistical Greenland.
- Jensen, Jens Fog; Erik Brinch Petersen (1998). "Raw material distribution - social space, social interaction". Acta Borealia. 15 (2): 139–152. doi:10.1080/08003839808580482. ISSN 0800-3831.
Major historic quarries for soapstone are known from the Nuuk area to the south as well as from the Bay of Uummannaq to the north of Nuussuaq, at the village of Ukkusissat (ukkusissaq meaning 'soapstone').
- Nuussuaq, Saga Map, Tage Schjøtt, 1992
- Sermitsiaq
- Hurtigruten.co.uk Archived 2010-05-09 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Booking system". Air Greenland. Archived from the original on 22 April 2010. Retrieved 7 July 2010.
- ^ Statistics Greenland Archived 2011-08-12 at the Wayback Machine
External links
- sermitsiaq.gl Ukkusissat: Greenland masters in hospitality by Malik Milfeldt (in Danish)
| Cities, towns, and villages in Greenland | ||
|---|---|---|
| Avannaata |  | |
| Kujalleq | ||
| Qeqertalik | ||
| Qeqqata | ||
| Sermersooq | ||