How Is The Ilulissat Icefjord Protected?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Ilulissat itself is protected under the Greenland Home Rule Government Order No. 10 of 15 June 2007 on protection of Ilulissat Icefjord. The area bordering the property is further controlled by national regulations on waste disposal, use of snowmobiles, building constructions and landscape protection.

Why is the Ilulissat glacier so famous?

Ilulissat Icefjord was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004 because of its natural beauty and the importance of the fast-moving Jakobshavn Glacier in developing the current scientific understanding of anthropogenic climate change.

What is noteworthy about the city of Ilulissat?

The city is home to almost as many sled-dogs as people . In direct translation, Ilulissat is the Kalaallisut word for “Icebergs” (Danish: Isbjerge). The nearby Ilulissat Icefjord is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and has made Ilulissat the most popular tourist destination in Greenland.

Is Ilulissat above the Arctic Circle?

Ilulissat, formerly Jakobshavn or Jacobshaven, is the municipal seat and largest town of the Avannaata municipality in western Greenland, located approximately 350 km (220 mi) north of the Arctic Circle . With the population of 4,670 as of 2020, it is the third-largest city in Greenland, after Nuuk and Sisimiut.

How big is the Ilulissat Icefjord?

The Ilulissat Icefjord is the same area as 66,000 football fields. It reaches 6 km wide and approximately 55 km long , but it is growing longer as glacier retreat occurs due to climate change. Sermeq Kujalleq runs directly from the Greenland Ice Cap, and it produces 10% of all icebergs in Greenland.

What is a ice fjord?

Jakobshavn Glacier (Danish: Jakobshavn Isbræ), also known as Ilulissat Glacier (Greenlandic: Sermeq Kujalleq), is a large outlet glacier in West Greenland. ... Studied for over 250 years, the Jakobshavn Glacier has helped develop modern understanding of climate change and icecap glaciology.

Is Greenland a country?

Greenland is the world's largest island and an autonomous Danish dependent territory with limited self-government and its own parliament. Denmark contributes two thirds of Greenland's budget revenue, the rest coming mainly from fishing.

Is the North Pole permanently frozen?

While the South Pole lies on a continental land mass, the North Pole is located in the middle of the Arctic Ocean amid waters that are almost permanently covered with constantly shifting sea ice .

What is the capital of Greenland?

The Greenlandic people are primarily Inuit (Eskimo). The capital of Greenland is Nuuk (Godthåb

How much of the Greenland ice sheet has melted?

Greenland's ice is melting faster than any time in the past 12,000 years, scientists have calculated, with the ice loss running at a rate of around one million tons a minute in 2019. Greenland and the earth's other polar region of Antarctica have together lost 6.3tn tons of ice since 1994.

Can you see aurora borealis in Greenland?

The Northern Lights appear all year round, but they are only visible on a dark sky. In Greenland you can best watch them from the end of September to March or April , depending on where in Greenland you are. In Kangerlussuaq, Sisimiut and Ilulissat, there are guided northern lights tours during the winter.

How do I get to the Ilulissat Icefjord?

Jakobshavn Glacier (Danish: Jakobshavn Isbræ), also known as Ilulissat Glacier (Greenlandic: Sermeq Kujalleq), is a large outlet glacier in West Greenland. ... Studied for over 250 years, the Jakobshavn Glacier has helped develop modern understanding of climate change and icecap glaciology.

Why do glaciers matter?

are important indicators of global warming and climate change in several ways. Melting ice sheets contribute to rising sea levels. As ice sheets in Antarctica and Greenland melt, they raise the level of the ocean. Tons of fresh water are added to the ocean every day.

What do you mean by Fjord?

A fjord is a long, deep, narrow body of water that reaches far inland . Fjords are often set in a U-shaped valley with steep walls of rock on either side. Fjords are found mainly in Norway, Chile, New Zealand, Canada, Greenland, and the U.S. state of Alaska.

How was Sermeq Kujalleq formed?

There, 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle, Sermeq Kujalleq hurls icebergs into the sea. ... Sermeq Kujalleq has grown and shrunk for centuries as part of the Greenland ice sheet . Formed over 250,000 years ago, the ice sheet today stretches 1,500 miles long by 680 miles wide and covers 80 percent of Greenland.

Timothy Chehowski
Author
Timothy Chehowski
Timothy Chehowski is a travel writer and photographer with over 10 years of experience exploring the world. He has visited over 50 countries and has a passion for discovering off-the-beaten-path destinations and hidden gems. Juan's writing and photography have been featured in various travel publications.