Maniitsoq

Maniitsoq
Maniitsoq in 1890
Maniitsoq Location within Greenland
Coordinates: 65°25′00″N 52°54′00″W / 65.4166667°N 52.9°W / 65.4166667; -52.9Coordinates: 65°25′00″N 52°54′00″W / 65.4166667°N 52.9°W / 65.4166667; -52.9
State	Kingdom of Denmark
Constituent country	Greenland
Municipality	Qeqqata
Founded	1782
Population (2010)
- Total	2,784
Time zone	UTC-03
Postal code	3912
Website	maniitsoq.gl

Maniitsoq (old spelling Manîtsoq, Danish: Sukkertoppen) is a town in the Qeqqata municipality in western Greenland. With 2,784 inhabitants as of 2010,^[1] it is the sixth-largest town in Greenland. The name means "place of rugged terrain" in the Greenlandic language.^[2]

History

The town was built in 1755 as a colony on the site where the Kangaamiut settlement is located today, but was moved to its present-day location in 1782.^[3] Archaeological finds indicate that the area has been settled for more than 4,000 years.

Industry

There are advanced plans for the Alcoa aluminium smelting plant. Sisimiut, the largest town in the municipality, is another proposed location alongside Maniitsoq. The plant would provide employment for 600-700 people,^[4] or more than 10 percent of the population. As it is a vital decision for the town, wide public consultations were carried out in 2008-2010^[5][6][7] by both the town authorities and the Government of Greenland in order to address potential environmental and social concerns.^[8][9]

Transport

Air

Main article: Maniitsoq Airport

Maniitsoq is served by Air Greenland with flights to Nuuk, Kangerlussuaq, and Sisimiut.^[10]

Sea

Maniitsoq is a port of call for the Arctic Umiaq Line coastal ship.^[11]

Population

With 2,784 inhabitants as of 2010, Maniitsoq has experienced a decline in population over a long period of time.^[12] The town lost over 11 percent of its population relative to 1990 levels, and nearly 5 percent relative to 2000 levels.^[12]

Migrants from the smaller settlements such as rapidly depopulating Kangaamiut choose to migrate to Sisimiut, the capital in Nuuk, and sometimes to Denmark, rather than Maniitsoq. Kangerlussuaq and Sisimiut are the only settlement in the Qeqqata municipality exhibiting stable growth patterns over the last two decades.

Maniitsoq population growth dynamics in the last two decades. Source: Statistics Greenland^[12]

Notable people

• Mimi Karlsen (b. 1957), politician
• Sofie Petersen (b. 1955), Lutheran Bishop of Greenland

References

1. ^ Statistics Greenland, Greenland in Figures, 2010
2. ^ Air Greenland, destination Maniitsoq
3. ^ O'Carroll, Etain (2005). Greenland and the Arctic. Lonely Planet. pp. 155–156. ISBN 1-74059-095-3. 
4. ^ "Aluminium smelting plant". Sisimiut Town, Official Website. http://www.sisimiut.gl/Business/Business-development/Aluminum-Smelter.aspx. Retrieved 5 July 2010. 
5. ^ "Alcoa holds town hall meeting in Sisimiut". Sermitsiaq. 15 January 2008. http://sermitsiaq.gl/erhverv/article27703.ece?lang=EN. Retrieved 5 July 2010. 
6. ^ "Where should Alcoa plant be located?". Sermitsiaq. 21 February 2008. http://sermitsiaq.gl/erhverv/article31788.ece?lang=EN. Retrieved 5 July 2010. 
7. ^ "Alcoa in Greenland". Alcoa. http://www.alcoa.com/greenland/en/home.asp. Retrieved 5 July 2010. 
8. ^ "Alcoa project can paralyse building sector". Sermitsiaq. 13 April 2008. http://sermitsiaq.gl/erhverv/article37125.ece?lang=EN. Retrieved 5 July 2010. 
9. ^ "Alcoa eller ej" (in Danish). Sermitsiaq. 25 March 2010. http://sermitsiaq.gl/indland/article113604.ece. Retrieved 5 July 2010. 
10. ^ "Booking system". Air Greenland. http://book.airgreenland.com/. Retrieved 11 July 2010. 
11. ^ AUL, Timetable 2009
12. ^ ^{a b c} Statistics Greenland