Upernavik

© Styrelsen for Dataforsyning og Infrastruktur
Measured per capita, the approximately 2,700 people in the Upernavik district are among the largest contributors to Greenland’s export revenue.
LINDA KASTRUP/RITZAU SCANPIX, 2015

Upernavik means ‘spring hunting ground’, and the town is located on a relatively small island of the same name. In Upernavik district, the majority of the population lives in the settlements with a total of 1,655 inhabitants compared to 1,076 in the town. This means that 61 % of the population lives in the district’s nine settlements – and this is unusual for Greenland. It has a High Arctic maritime climate and thus relatively much precipitation.

History of Upernavik

The location of the colony of Upernavik can be attributed to the hunting ground of the Inuit at the place and the bay where sailing ships could lie safely at anchor sheltered from the prevailing winds. As one of the few Danish colonies, Upernavik was given a Greenlandic name.

In the Upernavik district, 61 % of the population lives in the nine settlements, where the main industry is Greenland halibut fishing, fish processing and hunting. In the cold winter months, when dog sledding and fishing from the sea ice are the norm, kamiks and polar bear skin trousers are the best attire.
MARTIN N JOHANSEN/BIOFOTO/RITZAU SCANPIX, 2014

The first attempt was made to establish Upernavik as a Danish colony in 1772, but due to the harsh weather conditions and the lack of boat traffic from the southerner colonies, the colonists left the area several times. In 1823, Upernavik became a remote trading post under Godhavn (Qeqertarsuaq) and in 1826 an independent colony. Upernavik was the northernmost official Danish presence and colony in Greenland until the Danish State assumed responsibility for Thule district in 1937. Until the inter-war period, the colony only included parts of the present-time Upernavik district; the area north of Holms Ø with, among other things, the settlement of Kullorsuaq being in ‘no man’s land’. In 1939, Upernavik had 240 inhabitants and grew to 367 in 1948, while the entire district had 1,459 inhabitants.

In the post-war years, the Danish administration estimated that the district – like Uummannaq – had no future business base and wanted most of the district’s population to move to Qeqertarsuup Tunua (Disko Bay) and further south to participate in the cod fishery or work in the fishing industry. The Danish administration managed to convince a portion of the population to relocate – though without much success for the majority, which is why several moved back again. In parallel, the population was centralised in fewer settlements, from 24 settlements in 1938 to nine settlements today, and significant growth was seen in the town of Upernavik, where in 2003 the population peaked at 1,218.

Population trends in Upernavik 1886‑2021.
GRØNLANDS STATISTIK

Upernavik continued as a distinctive hunting district and for many years was one of Greenland’s poorest. Even after the introduction of home rule in 1979, the central government discussed how to get portions of the population to move south. However, from the late 1980s the fishing of Greenland halibut was gradually increasing, and for a number of years, Upernavik has been one of the districts which, as measured per capita, has made the greatest contribution to the inshore fishing of Greenland halibut and export revenues. Greenland halibut fishing has increased the district’s income base, and average household income has for periods been at the top of the list in some of Upernavik’s settlements.

The majority of Greenland halibut fishing in the nearly 400 km long district takes place in summer by dinghy and in winter by longline from sea ice. It requires a relatively short distance to the fishing grounds and local trading posts, which is why there are fish factories in the town of Upernavik and seven of the district’s settlements. Most hunters in the district live off a combination of fishing and hunting of seal, walrus, narwhal, polar bear and birds for their own household, as well as sales to the rest of the country that are still of vital importance.

Since the municipal amalgamation in 2009, when Upernavik had 1,157 inhabitants, there has been minor migration away from the town, partly because some administrative jobs moved to Ilulissat.

Development and geography of Upernavik

The town of Upernavik is located on a relatively small island facing the sea in a district characterised by an elongated archipelago with several very active glaciers.

The many single-family houses and semi-detached and terraced houses are located up a sloping mountainside, while the shop, factory and most public buildings are located at the port. The road network is limited and consists largely of steep dirt roads. Houses lie close to the roads without the possibility of establishing ditches, and this often causes problems with meltwater and grey water.

Despite the town’s population numbers, no water supply has been established, and only the local hospital and old age home have running water. The households either have water delivered by tanker to the house’s water tank, which is a relatively expensive option, or pick up water themselves at one of the town’s tapping houses. The lack of water supply and modest consumption by citizens can be ascribed to the fact that the island has only a small lake for water supply that does not meet the real need and does not always provide good water quality. At the same time, the limited water resources imply that the Royal Greenland fish factory simply freezes the whole Greenland halibut, thereby failing to exploit potential income from fish processing. On the neighbouring island of Akia less than a kilometre to the southeast, large lakes are found, from which an adequate water supply could potentially be established.

Upernavik has no sewer system and toilet buckets and collection of latrines are consistently used in the town, partly due to the sparse water resources.

There is limited storage space for boats and containers, and the shortage of space is a problem for private individuals and businesses.

Boat traffic to Upernavik is possible only from mid-May to the end of November. During his period, Royal Arctic Line’s supply ship has weekly calls at Upernavik and the first and last ship could potentially be cancelled due to ice.

The country’s highest-located airport is established on top of the island of Upernavik and in the winter months has a flight connection to Ilulissat a few times a week and in the summer somewhat more often.

The town is expanding to the north, which has made way for another fish factory established by Polar Seafood. To create opportunities for future business areas, reception station and residential areas, the municipality is extending the road. The purpose of the reception station is to decommission the open dump (waste landfill) and the outdated incinerator which creates odour and smoke nuisance in the southern and more historic part of the town.

Population, trade and industry of Upernavik

Out of the district’s 1,769 working age residents, just under 400 have a commercial hunting licence and thus derive most of – or all – income from hunting and fishing. In addition, there are around 200 employees at the nine fish factories, making fishing of great importance.

The school in Upernavik, which in the oldest grades also teaches pupils from most settlements, also contributes a number of jobs both at the school itself and the associated boarding house for school children. In addition, jobs in administration and service, as well as, to a lesser extent, building and construction. The town has a single supermarket (Pilersuisoq) near the port as well as two kiosks and a clothing shop.

Upernavik is considered to be an enterprising and well-functioning town, despite the challenged infrastructure. The town is experiencing a gradual increase in tourism both summer and winter and mainly with guests who want to experience ‘original Greenland’ with its many settlements and the life of hunters and fishermen. In summer, there are boat trips between the settlements and kayaking trips in the archipelago, and in winter, there is an increasing sledding tourism. Local businesses and private individuals offer accommodation for 40‑50 people in a room, flat or an entire house.

Upernavik, street map. 1) Health centre. 2) and 10) Fish factory. 3) Old church. 4) Upernavik Church. 5) settlement hall. 6) Municipal office. 7) Primary school. 8) Museum. 9) Sports centre.
ASIAQ, 2022

Further reading

Read more about the Municipalities and towns in Greenland

  • Kåre Hendriksen

    (b. 1956) Ph.D. and MA in Technical Environmental Management. Associate Professor in Sustainable Arctic Infrastructure at the Department of Planning, Aalborg University.