"Jakobshavn" redirects here. For the glacier, see Jakobshavn Glacier.
Ilulissat
Other nameJakobshavn
Sovereign stateKingdom of Denmark
Autonomous territoryGreenland
MunicipalityAvannaata
First mention15th century
City Status16th century
Area total11.25 km²
Area metro47.00 km²
Population as of2025
Population total5149
Ethnicity90.98% Greenlandic
9.02% Other[1]
Population density metro103.5 km²
Time zoneWestern Greenland Time (UTC−02:00)
Time zone (DST)Western Greenland Summer Time (UTC−01:00)
Elevation min1 m
Elevation max2010 m
Area code(+299) 94
Postal code3952
Coordinates69°13′11″N 51°05′55″W

Ilulissat (lit. 'Icebergs'),[2] also known as Jakobshavn or Jacobshavn, is the municipal seat and largest town of the Avannaata municipality in western Greenland, located approximately 350 km (220 mi) north of the Arctic Circle. With a population of 5,149 as of 2025,[3] it is the third-largest city in Greenland, after Nuuk and Sisimiut. The city is home to almost as many sled-dogs as people.

The nearby Ilulissat Icefjord is a UNESCO World Heritage Site,[4] and has made Ilulissat the most popular tourist destination in Greenland.[5] 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.

History

Archaeological finds at Semermiut, near Ilulissat, show that the area was inhabited by Inuit peoples from prehistoric times, with evidence of Saqqaq settlement around 1500 BC and Dorset occupation from about 300 AD. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Dutch whalers traded extensively with the local population and referred to the area as Maklykout, a name now thought to be a corruption of the Greenlandic magdliukait ("tidal wave").[6]

The town was established as a trading post by Jacob Severin's company in 1741; it was named in his honor[7][8] after the Battle of Jacobshavn, in which Danish forces defeated the Dutch whalers.[6]

The Zion Church (Zions Kirke) was built in the late 18th century; it was the largest man-made structure in Greenland at the time.[8] The final resident of nearby Sermermiut moved to Ilulissat in 1850.[9]

Ilulissat Declaration

Main article: Ilulissat Declaration

The town was the site of the Arctic Ocean Conference in May 2008.[10] 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[11] — and Arktika 2007) and Arctic shrinkage produced by climate change.[12]

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.[13]

Hotel Ilulissat fire

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.[14][15][16][17] Not long after the fire fighters arrived, a gas cylinder exploded. The explosion was heard throughout the city.[18]

Geography

Ilulissat lies on the eastern shore of Disko Bay, just north of the Ilulissat Icefjord (kl: Ilulissat Kangerlua), a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004.[19]

Climate

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 271 millimetres or 10.67 inches 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 or −36.0 °F.

Population

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.[20]

Tourist attractions

Transport

Air
Main article: Ilulissat Airport

Ilulissat Airport is located 2.8 km (1.7 mi) to the northeast of the town center and was built in 1983.[21] It serves Ilulissat with connections to towns in northwestern and midwestern Greenland with Air Greenland. Service to Reykjavík, Iceland, began in April 2011 with Icelandair.

Sea

The Arctic Umiaq ferry links Ilulissat with Sisimiut, Nuuk, and other towns and settlements on the western and southwestern coast of Greenland.

Sport

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).

Film

The fourth series of the Danish TV series Borgen (2022) plays partially in the city of Ilulissat and was filmed on location.[22] It was also the location for the filming of Smilla's Sense of Snow (1997).[23]

Notable people

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Greenland

Ilulissat is twinned or cooperating with several towns and cities, including:

References

  1. ^ Naatsorsueqqissaartarfik: Naatsorsueqqissaartarfik, table BEDST3, period 2014
  2. ^ "Ilulissat". Qaasuitsup Municipality. Archived from the original on 2 June 2012. Retrieved 11 July 2010.
  3. ^ "Population by Localities". Statistical Greenland. Archived from the original on 26 July 2020. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  4. ^ "21 World Heritage Sites you have probably never heard of". The Daily Telegraph. 4 February 2016.
  5. ^ "Ilulissat Icefjord". Qaasuitsup Municipality. Archived from the original on 2013-02-13. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
  6. ^ Rolf Dörnbach (1991). "Grönländische Postorte (5): Ilulissat" (in German). nordische-staaten.de. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  7. ^ Marquardt, Ole. "Change and Continuity in Denmark's Greenland Policy" in The Oldenburg Monarchy: An Underestimated Empire?. Verlag Ludwig (Kiel), 2006.
  8. ^ Kjærgaard, Kathrine (2010). "Grønland som del af den bibelske fortælling – en 1700-tals studie Archived 15 July 2012 at the Wayback Machine" ["Greenland as Part of the Biblical Narrative – a Study of the 18th Century"]. Kirkehistoriske Samlinger, 51-130. (in Danish)
  9. ^ Guide to Ilulissat Museum, Ilulissat Museum
  10. ^ Arctic Council (2008-05-26). "Conference on the Arctic Ocean". arctic-council.org. Archived from the original on 2008-08-20. Retrieved 2008-06-06.
  11. ^ Hopper, Tristin (2022-06-13). "Canada to get new land border with Denmark as decades-long Hans Island dispute ends". National Post. Retrieved 2022-06-18.
  12. ^ "Greenland hosts Arctic sovereignty talks". Reuters. 27 May 2008. Archived from the original on 19 July 2012. Retrieved 5 October 2010.
  13. ^ "Ilulissat Declaration". Government of Greenland. Archived from the original on 10 March 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
  14. ^ "Hotel Ilulissat står i flammer". 7 March 2021. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  15. ^ "Ilulissat: Hotel-brand er slukket". 8 March 2021. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  16. ^ "Brand i Ilulissat: Gå indenfor og luk vinduer og ventilationsanlæg". Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  17. ^ "Politi: Hotelbrand i Ilulissat skal nu efterforskes". Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  18. ^ "Beredskabschef: Varmeblæser kan være årsag til brand på hotel i Ilulissat". Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  19. ^ "UNESCO Listing". Retrieved 11 August 2012.
  20. ^ Statistics Greenland, Population in districts and municipalities January 1st 1977-2020 BEEST3[dead link]
  21. ^ Air Greenland, History Archived 23 May 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  22. ^ "IMDB, Borgen, Series 4, Filming & Production". IMDb. Retrieved 2022-06-28.
  23. ^ "IMDB, Smilla's Sense of Snow, Filming & Production". IMDb. Retrieved 2022-06-28.
  24. ^ Jean Malaurie, 1982.
  25. ^ Knud Johan Victor Rasmussen Archived 12 October 2010 at the Wayback Machine, biography by Sam Alley. Minnesota State University.
  26. ^ Elizabeth Cruwys, 2003.
  27. ^ Famous sons Archived 25 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine

Overviews and data

Government

  • Avannaata Official municipal and city website

Maps

News and media

Travel