Avannaata

Avannaata (avanːaːta, Det Nordlige) is a municipality of Greenland created on 1 January 2018 from the bulk of the former Qaasuitsup municipality. It encompasses an area of 522,700 km2 and has 10,726 inhabitants. In the south, Avannaata is flanked by the Qeqertalik municipality. In the southeast, it is bordered by the Sermersooq municipality, however this border runs north–south (45° West meridian) through the center of the Greenland ice sheet (Sermersuaq), and as such is free of traffic. In the east and northeast it is bordered by the Northeast Greenland National Park. At the southern end of the municipal coastline are the waters of Disko Bay, although some Disko Bay communities belong to the municipality of Qeqertalik. This bay is an inlet of the larger Baffin Bay, which to the north edges into the island of Greenland in the form of Melville Bay. The coastline of northeastern Baffin Bay is dotted with islands of the Upernavik Archipelago, which is entirely contained within the municipality. In the far northwest near Qaanaaq and Siorapaluk, the municipal shores extend into Nares Strait, which separates Greenland from Ellesmere Island. Avannaata's western side extends to the formerly disputed Hans Island's eastern half, while Canada's Qiqiktaluuk Region administers the western half. Avannaata's municipal council consists of 17 members, elected every four years. List of cities and towns in Greenland Ilulissat (Jakobshavn) Ilimanaq (Claushavn) Oqaatsut (Rodebay) Qeqertaq (Øen) Saqqaq (Solsiden) Qaanaaq (Thule) Qeqertat Savissivik Siorapaluk Uummannaq (Omenak) Ikerasak Illorsuit Niaqornat Nuugaatsiaq Qaarsut Saattut Ukkusissat Upernavik (Women's Island) Aappilattoq Innaarsuit Kangersuatsiaq Kullorsuaq Naajaat Nutaarmiut Nuussuaq (Kraulshavn) Tasiusaq Tussaaq Upernavik Kujalleq (Søndre Upernavik) Greenlandic language Kalaallisut, the West Greenlandic dialect, is spoken in the towns and settlements of the western and northwestern coasts. Inuktun is also spoken in and around Qaanaaq.