Avannaa

Map of North Greenland.

Avannaa/Nordgrønland (North Greenland, also called Avannaarsua or Avanersuaq) was one of the three counties (amt) of Greenland, until 31 December 2008. The county seat was at the main settlement, Qaanaaq, the town of the only municipality.

It was the least densely populated administrative division in the world with 843 people living in 106,700 km² of ice-free land with a density of 0.0079 people per square kilometre. The total land area including the land covered by the ice cap is over 500,000 km². North Greenland has a higher portion of ice-free land than most other areas of the country because much of the extreme north, such as Peary Land, is largely ice-free due to its low precipitation.^[1]

Former Local Divisions

• Qaanaaq municipality
• Thule Air Base (Pituffik) (unincorporated), an enclave within Qaanaaq municipality
• Northeast Greenland National Park (northern part) (unincorporated)

Local occupations

Seal hunting is the most important source of income for a large part of the population, and this is why the settlements here are different from those in the rest of Greenland. There are many settlements in the region, and the way of life is different from the one in busier Greenlandic towns. During the winter, when the fjords freeze over, the dog sled is a commonly used means of transport for the fishermen and hunters.

Wildlife

Land animals are limited to small mammals such as foxes or hares, but air and sea life are plentiful. There are many species of gull, and large numbers of fulmars are often seen close to towns where they make use of waste products from the fish factories. Prawns, which are among Greenland's top exports, are the reason for many large trawlers and smaller fishing vessels which ply the waters of North Greenland. Also commonly seen is the gigantic fin whale.

References

1. ^ "The CIA World Factbook 2008" Central Intelligence Agency, Skyhorse Publishing Inc, 2007, ISBN 1-60239-080-0, pg, 253

See also

• Peary Land
• Subdivisions of Norden
• Administrative divisions of Greenland
• Thule

Coordinates: 79°00′N 50°00′W / 79°N 50°W / 79; -50