Sermersooq () is a municipality in Greenland, formed on 1 January 2009 from five previous, smaller municipalities,
Creation
The municipality consists of former municipalities of eastern and southwestern Greenland, each named after the largest settlement at the time of formation:
[ Sermersooq Municipality ]
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Ammassalik Municipality
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Ittoqqortoormiit Municipality
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Ivittuut Municipality
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Nuuk Municipality
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Paamiut Municipality
Administrative divisions
Ammassalik area
Ittoqqortoormiit area
Ivittuut area
Nuuk area
Paamiut area
Geography
The municipality is located in south-central and eastern Greenland, with an area of .
As of 2018, it is the largest municipality in the world by area, following the split of the former
Qaasuitsup municipality.
As of January 2013, its population was 17,498.
In the south, it is flanked by the
Kujalleq municipality, with the border running alongside Alanngorsuaq Fjord. The waters flowing around the western coastline of the municipality are those of the
Labrador Sea, which to the north narrows down to form
Davis Strait separating the island of Greenland from
Baffin Island. In the southwest,
Ikka Fjord is best known for its eponymous
ikaite columns, of a scale unknown anywhere else.
In the northwest, the municipality is bordered by the Qeqqata municipality, and further north by the Qeqertalik and Avannaata municipalities. The latter two borders however run north–south through the center (45° West meridian) of the Greenland ice sheet () − and as such are free of traffic. In the north the municipality is bordered by the Northeast Greenland National Park beyond Cape Biot, at the northern end of Fleming Fjord. In the east, near the settlement of Ittoqqortoormiit, the municipal shores straddle the Scoresby Sund fjord, which opens to the cold Greenland Sea. The southeastern shores are bordered by the Anorituup Kangerlua fjord of the Irminger Sea in the North Atlantic Ocean.
Politics
Sermersooq's municipal council consists of 19 members, elected every four years.
[ Sermersooq.gl "Kommunalbestyrelsen"]
Municipal council
Charlotte Ludvigsen stepped down as mayor on 15 June 2022, Avaaraq S. Olsen was elected to replace her.
Transport
Sermersooq is one of two municipalities straddling the western and eastern sides of the island, but is the only municipality where settlements on both coasts are connected via scheduled flights from
Nuuk Airport to
Kulusuk Airport and Nerlerit Inaat Airport and reverse, operated year-round by
Air Greenland.
There are also local flights between Nuuk and
Paamiut Airport on the west coast.
Language
Kalaallisut is the name of the West Greenlandic dialect is spoken in the towns and settlements of the western coast.
Danish language is also in use in the bigger towns. Tunumiit oraasiat, the East Greenlandic dialect, is spoken on the eastern coast.
See also
External links
