Narsarsuaq

© Styrelsen for Dataforsyning og Infrastruktur
Narsarsuaq at sunset. The airport is surrounded by rich vegetation with natural trees and shrubs up to seven metres high. Additionally, there are a large number of planted trees, which gradually grow into a forest.
MADS PIHL/VISIT GREENLAND, 2015

Narsarsuaq means ‘great plain’ and refers to the moraine plain between the Tunulliarfik fjord and the Kiattuut Sermiat glacier, where the settlement and airport Narsarsuaq are located.

The population has been below 200 since the mid-1970s, varying from 116 in 2016 to 191 in the year 2000. Today (2021) there are 138 inhabitants. In the past, there have been considerably more.

History of Narsarsuaq

When the United States entered World War II, Greenland became an important link in the North Atlantic air bridge: Aircraft could touch down and refuel en route from the US to the war in Europe. Thus, in the summer of 1941, the United States Army commenced the establishment of an airfield and hospital at Narsarsuaq, and the first aircraft landed in January 1942. The Americans named the airfield Bluie West One. It was the first of a number of military installations on the West Coast, the primary ones being named Bluie West One to Bluie West Nine. It is estimated that, at its peak, the population of Narsarsuaq approached 2,000.

After the war, at the beginning of the Cold War, Americans used the airfield as a base hospital for wounded soldiers and Greenlandic tuberculosis patients. The Americans left Narsarsuaq in 1958 and the facilities were handed over to the Danish state. Following the sinking of M/S Hans Hedtoft in 1959, the Danish authorities gradually converted transatlantic passenger transport from ship to aircraft, and Narsarsuaq reopened already in 1959 as a civilian airport.

Infrastructure of Narsarsuaq

Since its reopening in 1959, Narsarsuaq has served as South Greenland’s hub for air, helicopter and ship traffic to destinations such as Narsaq, Qaqortoq, Nanortalik, settlements in the region as well as to Kangerlussuaq — later also Nuuk. With changing frequency and occupancy, typically during the summer months, there have been connections to Copenhagen and Iceland. The Royal Arctic Line arrives at the settlement with freight once or twice a month, and Disko Line arrives with passengers from the region in fast boats, alternatively by helicopter when the storis (great ice) makes navigation impossible. Air Greenland has helicopter services to Narsaq, Qaqortoq, Nanortalik and some of the southern settlement. The frequency is adapted to air travel.

The settlement is primarily an airport operated by Mittarfeqarfiit (Greenland Airport Service). This applies to the supply of electricity, water and heating, as well as airport, port and hotel (Hotel Narsarsuaq). Electricity, water and heat are gradually handed over to Nukissiorfiit. Most residents are engaged in these tasks and a smaller proportion in basic public functions such as school, healthcare and day care. Pilersuisoq runs the grocery shop. Tourism, including youth hostels, boat and helicopter tours, has a small number of employees.

The private Narsarsuaq Museum has exhibitions on the Norse and the presence of Americans in Greenland. In the 2019/2020 school year, the settlement school had six children from grades 1st through 8th.

The Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI) operated a manned weather station and ice centre during the period 1959‑2017 and still operates, in cooperation with Tussas (formerly Tele Post Greenland), a radiosonde station in Narsarsuaq.

There is no bridge over the river, but there are dirt roads to the sheep farms to the north and west and to the settlement of Qassiarsuk. Road links could potentially be continued to Narsaq. A possible road connection to the south to Igaliku is hindered by steep mountains and the Qooqqut Fjord.

The Greenland Arboretum in and around Narsarsuaq is one of the most extensive forest border arboreta in the world and includes over 100,000 transplanted trees.

With Inatsisartut’s (Parliament’s) decision to construct an airport in Qaqortoq, Narsarsuaq is to be downgraded to heliport and the future of the settlement is intensely debated at the turn of 2021/22.

Narsarsuaq, street map. 1) Towards the port. 2) Hotel Narsarsuaq. 3) Health care station. 4) School. 5) Grocery shop. 6) Hostel. 7) Narsarsuaq Museum. 8) Radiosonde station. 9) Terminal building. ASIAQ, 2022

Further reading

Read more about the Municipalities and towns in Greenland

  • Bo Naamansen

    (b. 1968) MSc. in Surveying, Planning and Land Management. General Manager of Asiaq, Greenland Survey.

  • Ole Guldager

    (f. 1968) MSc. in Prehistoric Archeology. Curator at Narsaruaq Museum.