# Qaasuitsup > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Qaasuitsup > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Qaasuitsup.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qaasuitsup > Source revision: 1340137851 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **Qaasuitsup** (qaːsuitt͡sup̚, *Place of Polar Darkness*) was a [municipality](/source/Municipalities_of_Greenland) in [Greenland](/source/Greenland), operational from 1 January 2009[1] to 31 December 2017.[2] As of January 2015, its population was 17,168.[3] The administrative centre of the municipality was in [Ilulissat](/source/Ilulissat) (Jacobshavn). ## Creation The municipality consisted of the former municipalities of western and northern Greenland, each named after the biggest settlement: - [Aasiaat Municipality](/source/Aasiaat_Municipality) (currently in Qeqertalik) - [Kangaatsiaq Municipality](/source/Kangaatsiaq_Municipality) (currently in Qeqertalik) - [Ilulissat Municipality](/source/Ilulissat_Municipality) (currently in Avannaata) - [Qaanaaq Municipality](/source/Qaanaaq_Municipality) (currently in Avannaata) - [Qasigiannguit Municipality](/source/Qasigiannguit_Municipality) (currently in Qeqertalik) - [Qeqertarsuaq Municipality](/source/Qeqertarsuaq_Municipality) (currently in Qeqertalik) - [Uummannaq Municipality](/source/Uummannaq_Municipality) (currently in Avannaata) - [Upernavik Municipality](/source/Upernavik_Municipality) (currently in Avannaata) ## Dissolution Effective 1 January 2018, Qaasuitsup Kommunia was partitioned into two new municipalities: - **[Avannaata](/source/Avannaata) Kommunia:** comprising [Ilulissat](/source/Ilulissat), [Uummannaq](/source/Uummannaq), [Upernavik](/source/Upernavik), [Qaanaaq](/source/Qaanaaq) and surrounding settlements; and - **Kommune [Qeqertalik](/source/Qeqertalik):** comprising [Aasiaat](/source/Aasiaat), [Qasigiannguit](/source/Qasigiannguit), [Qeqertarsuaq](/source/Qeqertarsuaq), [Kangaatsiaq](/source/Kangaatsiaq) and surrounding settlements.[2] ## Geography The municipality was located in northwestern Greenland. With an area of 660,000 km2 (254,827.4 sq mi),[4] it was the largest [municipality](/source/Municipality) in the world by area,[5] larger than [France](/source/France) at 643,427 km2 (248,428.6 sq mi).[6] In the south, it was flanked by the [Qeqqata](/source/Qeqqata) municipality. In the southeast, it was bordered by the [Sermersooq](/source/Sermersooq) municipality, however this border ran north–south ([45° West](/source/45th_meridian_west) [meridian](/source/Meridian_(geography))) through the center of the [Greenland ice sheet](/source/Greenland_ice_sheet) (kl: *Sermersuaq*), and as such was free of traffic. In the east and northeast it was bordered by the [Northeast Greenland National Park](/source/Northeast_Greenland_National_Park). At the southern end of the municipal coastline were the waters of [Disko Bay](/source/Disko_Bay), an inlet of the larger [Baffin Bay](/source/Baffin_Bay), which to the north edges into the island of Greenland in the form of [Melville Bay](/source/Melville_Bay). The coastline of northeastern Baffin Bay is dotted with islands of the [Upernavik Archipelago](/source/Upernavik_Archipelago), which was entirely contained within the municipality. In the far northwest near [Qaanaaq](/source/Qaanaaq) and [Siorapaluk](/source/Siorapaluk), the municipal shores extended into [Nares Strait](/source/Nares_Strait), which separates Greenland from [Ellesmere Island](/source/Ellesmere_Island). Denmark claimed [Hans Island](/source/Hans_Island) as part of Qaasuitsup (now [Avannaata](/source/Avannaata)), while [Canada](/source/Canada) considers it to be part of the [Nunavut](/source/Nunavut) [region](/source/Regions_of_Nunavut) of [Qikiqtaaluk](/source/Qikiqtaaluk_Region). ## Administrative divisions Main article: [List of cities and towns in Greenland](/source/List_of_cities_and_towns_in_Greenland) ### Now in present [Avannaata](/source/Avannaata) Municipality #### Ilulissat area - [Ilulissat](/source/Ilulissat) (Jacobshavn) - [Ilimanaq](/source/Ilimanaq) (Claushavn) - [Oqaatsut](/source/Oqaatsut) (Hollandshuk) - [Qeqertaq](/source/Qeqertaq) (Øen) - [Saqqaq](/source/Saqqaq) (Solsiden) #### Qaanaaq area - [Qaanaaq](/source/Qaanaaq) (Thule) - [Qeqertat](/source/Qeqertat) - [Savissivik](/source/Savissivik) - [Siorapaluk](/source/Siorapaluk) #### Uummannaq area - [Uummannaq](/source/Uummannaq) - [Ikerasak](/source/Ikerasak) - [Illorsuit](/source/Illorsuit) - [Niaqornat](/source/Niaqornat) - [Nuugaatsiaq](/source/Nuugaatsiaq) - [Qaarsut](/source/Qaarsut) - [Saattut](/source/Saattut) - [Ukkusissat](/source/Ukkusissat) #### Upernavik area - [Upernavik](/source/Upernavik) - [Aappilattoq](/source/Aappilattoq,_Qaasuitsup) - [Innaarsuit](/source/Innaarsuit) - [Kangersuatsiaq](/source/Kangersuatsiaq) (Prøven) - [Kullorsuaq](/source/Kullorsuaq) - [Naajaat](/source/Naajaat) - [Nutaarmiut](/source/Nutaarmiut) - [Nuussuaq](/source/Nuussuaq) (Kraulshavn) - [Tasiusaq](/source/Tasiusaq,_Qaasuitsup) - [Tussaaq Island](/source/Tussaaq_Island) - [Upernavik Kujalleq](/source/Upernavik_Kujalleq) (Søndre Upernavik) ### Now in present [Qeqertalik](/source/Qeqertalik) Municipality #### Aasiaat area - [Aasiaat](/source/Aasiaat) (Egedesminde) - [Akunnaaq](/source/Akunnaaq) - [Kitsissuarsuit](/source/Kitsissuarsuit) (Hunde Ejlande, Dog's Island) #### Kangaatsiaq area - [Kangaatsiaq](/source/Kangaatsiaq) (Prøven) - [Attu](/source/Attu_(Greenland)) - [Iginniarfik](/source/Iginniarfik) - [Ikerasaarsuk](/source/Ikerasaarsuk) - [Niaqornaarsuk](/source/Niaqornaarsuk) #### Qasigiannguit area - [Qasigiannguit](/source/Qasigiannguit) (Christianshåb) - [Ikamiut](/source/Ikamiut) #### Qeqertarsuaq area - [Qeqertarsuaq](/source/Qeqertarsuaq) (Godhavn) - [Kangerluk](/source/Kangerluk) (Diskofjord) ## Language Main article: [Greenlandic language](/source/Greenlandic_language) *Kalaallisut*, the West Greenlandic dialect, is spoken in the towns and settlements of the western and northwestern coasts. [Inuktun](/source/Inuktun) is also spoken in and around Qaanaaq. ## See also - [KANUKOKA](/source/KANUKOKA) ## References and notes 1. [Qaasuitsup Municipality](http://www.qaasuitsup.gl/) (in kl) 1. ["Nittartakkat nutaat: avannaata.gl kiisalu qeqertalik.gl"](http://www.qaasuitsup.gl/Nyheder/2017/12/28_nyehjemmesider?sc_lang=kl-GL). Retrieved 2018-01-07. 1. ["Demographic perspectives"](https://plania.qeqertalik.gl/en/spatial-planning-strategy/demographic-perspectives/). *plania.qeqertalik.gl*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20220808193259/https://plania.qeqertalik.gl/en/spatial-planning-strategy/demographic-perspectives/) 8 August 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2023-02-12. 1. ["Fakta om kommunen"](https://web.archive.org/web/20101030062742/http://www.qaasuitsup.gl/da-DK/Om-kommunen/Fakta-om-kommunen) (in Danish). Qaasuitsup Municipality, Official Website. Archived from [the original](http://www.qaasuitsup.gl/da-DK/Om-kommunen/Fakta-om-kommunen) on 30 October 2010. Retrieved 8 July 2010. 1. not considering the [Chilean Antarctic *commune*](/source/Ant%C3%A1rtica), which is not internationally recognized 1. [France](https://web.archive.org/web/20260118114001/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/france/) at the [CIA World Factbook](/source/CIA_World_Factbook) ## External links - [Official website](http://qaasuitsup.gl) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Qaasuitsup](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qaasuitsup) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qaasuitsup?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.