| Official Name: | Ilulissat |
| Other Name: | Danish: Jakobshavn |
| Blank Emblem Type: | Coat of arms |
| Blank Emblem Size: | 100px |
| Blank Emblem Link: | Avannaata |
| Pushpin Map: | Greenland#North Atlantic#Arctic |
| Pushpin Relief: | yes |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location within Greenland |
| Subdivision Type: | Sovereign state |
| Subdivision Type1: | Autonomous territory |
| Subdivision Type2: | Municipality |
| Subdivision Name2: | Avannaata |
| Established Title: | First mention |
| Established Date: | 15th century |
| Established Title1: | City Status |
| Established Date1: | 16th century |
| Area Total Km2: | 11.25 |
| Area Metro Km2: | 47.00 |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Population Footnotes: | [2] |
| Population As Of: | 2020 (city, settlements) |
| Population Total: | 4670 |
| Population Blank2 Title: | Ethnicity |
| Population Blank2: | 90.98% Greenlandic 9.02% Other[3] |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Population Urban: | 4,491 (City of Ilulissat) |
| Population Metro: | 342 (Settlements: Ilimanaq, Oqaatsut, Qeqertaq and Saqqaq) |
| Population Density Metro Km2: | 103.5 |
| Utc Offset: | -02 |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -01 |
| Elevation Min M: | 1 |
| Elevation Max M: | 2010 |
| Area Code: | (+299) 94 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code |
| Postal Code: | 3952 |
| Coordinates: | 69.2167°N -57°W |
Ilulissat, formerly Jakobshavn or Jacobshaven,[4] is the municipal seat and largest town of the Avannaata municipality in western Greenland, located approximately 350km (220miles) north of the Arctic Circle. With a population of 4,670 as of 2020,[5] it is the third-largest city in Greenland, after Nuuk and Sisimiut. The city is home to almost as many sled-dogs as people.
In direct translation, Ilulissat is the Kalaallisut word for "Icebergs" (Danish: Isbjerge).[6] The nearby Ilulissat Icefjord is a UNESCO World Heritage Site,[7] and has made Ilulissat the most popular tourist destination in Greenland.[8] Tourism is now the town's principal industry.The city neighbours the Ilulissat Icefjord, where there are enormous icebergs from the most productive glacier in the northern hemisphere.
The Zion Church (Zions Kirke) was built in the late 18th century, and was the largest man-made structure in Greenland at the time.[10] The final resident of nearby Sermermiut moved to Ilulissat in 1850.[11]
See main article: Ilulissat Declaration. The town was the site of the Arctic Ocean Conference in May 2008.[12] The joint meeting between Canada, Denmark, Norway, Russia, and the United States was held to discuss key issues relating to territorial claims in the Arctic (particularly Hans Island - eventually settled in 2022[13] -, and Arktika 2007) and Arctic shrinkage produced by climate change.[14]
The Ilulissat Declaration arose from the conference. It stated that the law of the sea provided for important rights and obligations concerning the delineation of the outer limits of the continental shelf, the protection of the marine environment (including ice-covered areas), freedom of navigation, marine scientific research, and other uses of the sea. It also said that it remained committed to this legal framework and to the orderly settlement of any possible overlapping claims.
With this existing legal framework providing a solid foundation for responsible management, there was no need to develop a new comprehensive international legal regime to govern the Arctic Ocean. The states involved would continue the developments within the Arctic Ocean and continue to implement appropriate measures to further said developments.[15]
On 7 March 2021 at 20.12 (local time) a major fire broke out in Hotel Ilulissat, which at the time was still under construction. The fire and smoke was seen throughout the city. Police asked everyone in the area to stay home and keep their windows closed, until the fire fighters ended the fire. The police in Nuuk are to start an investigation.[16] [17] [18] [19] Not long after the fire fighters arrived, a gas cylinder exploded. The explosion was heard throughout the city.[20]
See main article: Ilulissat Icefjord.
The Ilulissat Icefjord (Kalaallisut; Greenlandic: Ilulissat Kangerlua) southeast of Ilulissat was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004.[21]
Ilulissat has a tundra climate (ET) with long, cold winters and short, cool summers. Ilulissat is one of the driest settlements in Greenland, receiving only 2712NaN2 of precipitation. Ilulissat is also one of the sunniest settlements in Greenland, especially during summer. Interestingly, March is the coldest month in Ilulissat despite similar locations experiencing February as the coldest month of the year. March also holds the all-time record low temperature of -37.8°C.
With 4,670 inhabitants in 2020, Ilulissat is the largest town in the Avannaata municipality. The population increased over 8% relative to 1990 levels but has remained steady since around 2003.[22]
bar:1991 from:start till:4135 text:"4,135" bar:1992 from:start till:4156 text:"4,156" bar:1993 from:start till:4072 text:"4,072" bar:1994 from:start till:4057 text:"4,057" bar:1995 from:start till:4052 text:"4,052" bar:1996 from:start till:4086 text:"4,086" bar:1997 from:start till:4168 text:"4,168" bar:1998 from:start till:4159 text:"4,159" bar:1999 from:start till:4167 text:"4,167" bar:2000 from:start till:4199 text:"4,199" bar:2001 from:start till:4145 text:"4,145" bar:2002 from:start till:4285 text:"4,285" bar:2003 from:start till:4525 text:"4,525" bar:2004 from:start till:4470 text:"4,470" bar:2005 from:start till:4533 text:"4,533" bar:2006 from:start till:4511 text:"4,511" bar:2007 from:start till:4512 text:"4,512" bar:2008 from:start till:4584 text:"4,584" bar:2009 from:start till:4528 text:"4,528" bar:2010 from:start till:4546 text:"4,546" bar:2011 from:start till:4606 text:"4,606" bar:2012 from:start till:4621 text:"4,621" bar:2013 from:start till:4541 text:"4,541" bar:2014 from:start till:4530 text:"4,530" bar:2015 from:start till:4491 text:"4,491" bar:2016 from:start till:4442 text:"4,442" bar:2017 from:start till:4555 text:"4,555" bar:2018 from:start till:4563 text:"4,563"
See main article: Ilulissat Airport.
Ilulissat Airport is located 2.8km (01.7miles) to the northeast of the town center and was built in 1983.[23] It serves Ilulissat with connections to towns in northwestern and midwestern Greenland via Air Greenland. Service to Reykjavík, Iceland, began in April 2011 via Air Iceland Connect and Air Greenland in 2017.
The town is home to Nagdlunguaq-48 who play in the Greenlandic Men's Football Championship, Greenland's top soccer competition. Nagdlunguaq-48, who play all their league games in Nuuk, have won the championship ten times (as of 2016).
The fourth series of the Danish TV series Borgen (2022) plays partially in the city of Ilulissat and was filmed on location.[24] It was also the location for the filming of Smilla's Sense of Snow (1997).[25]
Ilulissat is twinned or cooperating with several towns and cities, including:
Hafnarfjörður, Iceland