Qaanaaq, formerly known as Thule or New Thule, is the main town in the northern part of the Avannaata municipality in northwestern Greenland. The town has a population of 646 as of 2020. The population was forcibly relocated from its former, traditional home, which was expropriated for the construction of a United States Air Force base in 1953. The inhabitants of Qaanaaq speak the local Inuktun language and many also speak Kalaallisut and Danish.
Qaanaaq
Qaanaaq and its surroundings.
An Inuk man demonstrates kayaking techniques in the waters off Qaanaaq.
Qaanaaq houses
Avannaata is a municipality of Greenland created on 1 January 2018 from the bulk of the former Qaasuitsup municipality. It encompasses an area of 522,700 km2 and has 10,726 inhabitants.
Clockwise from top left: Ukkusissat, Upernavik, Ilulissat Icefjord, Qaanaaq, Uummannaq