Narsaq

Narsaq / Kitaa

Narsaq ( German: " The level" ) is with 1581 inhabitants ( 2012) one of the larger towns in the south of Greenland in the municipality Kujalleq.

Geography

The landscape is characterized by green mountains. Just north of the village of Sermilik is ( to German: , ice fjord '), which is filled by several glaciers of the inland ice with numerous icebergs.

The wildlife in the district consists of marine mammals such as humpback whales, Greenland seals and bearded seals from land mammals such as Arctic foxes, hares and some reindeer. Very rarely, a polar bear who comes here with the pack ice lost; almost always, the animals are however already in Nanortalik, if not shot on the east coast in Tasiilaq. There are also a variety of birds such as snow bunting, Raven, Black-legged Kittiwake, falcon, eagle, black guillemot, ptarmigan and others. From the plant world especially fireweed, birch, blueberry, crowberry and cotton grass are mentioned.

The climate is a mixture of subarctic climate and, due to the exposed location in the south, atlantic temperate climate, so that partially even in winter rain falls instead of snow.

Geographically, the town is located approximately at the same latitude as Oslo, so it sometimes can be very warm in the summer sun. Because of the dry air in Greenland and the intense solar radiation 15 degrees as high summer temperatures feel here.

Economy and infrastructure

The population lives mostly by fishing and fish processing. The only butcher Greenland, where all the sheep and reindeer are slaughtered from the environment, is a large employer. In the area there are some farms and settlements (eg Qassiarsuk and Igaliku ), operate the sheep. Nevertheless, the traditional seal hunting plays a role in the lives of many residents, especially in early summer at the time of sea ice, which comes with the East Greenland Current from the polar caps to round Cape Farewell to South Greenland.

Hillside Kvanefjeld and close to the village is a discovered in February 1978 and now disused uranium mine. The area is also known for uranium in addition to other minerals, so that will find many rare minerals and abbaufähigem extent the coveted rare earths. The Tugtupite occurs only here and on Russia's Kola Peninsula.

Since 2006 there is also a brewery in Narsaq. In the " Greenland Brewhouse " are brewed with glacier water brewed ales and mainly exported to Denmark.

Culture and sights

The architectural style in Narsaq is a mixture of hunting cabins, modern family houses and apartment buildings mandatory. At the time of settlement by the Grænlendingar (ca. 1000-1450 AD) here were many yards of the Northmen, whose ruins are still visible today. The shaft Rail runs from Narsaq until after Qassiarsuk (formerly Brattahlið ) where a court has been completely restored. From there Narsarsuaq can be reached easily by boat.

Commune

Until the formation of the Commune Kujalleq on 1 January 2009 Narsaq was an independent municipality, were among the next Narsaq itself also, inter alia, the villages Qassiarsuk, Igaliku, Igaliku Kujalleq and Narsarsuaq.

Sons and daughters of the town

• Aleqa Hammond (born 1965 ), Greenlandic politician and Prime Minister