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A hiker pauses in front of Ilulissat Icefjord, which is about 25
miles (40 kilometers) long and 3,937 feet (1,200 meters) deep.
Photograph by Diane Cook and Len Jenshel |
| Greenland Web
Resources |
See the print edition for Diane Cook and Len Jenshel’s photo-essay
on Greenland. Here are fast facts on the country and listings of
related Web resources.
If you’ve traveled to Greenland, e-mail us
about your trip at traveler@
nationalgeographic.com. We may feature your letter at some point in the print edition’s “Travel Talk” section.
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During August’s midnight sun, cruisers catch a close-up of the
icebergs while gliding across Disko Bay.
Photograph by Diane Cook and Len Jenshel |
Ice
The Ilulissat glacier produces about 20 million tons of ice per
day—enough to supply New York City with water for a
year • Greenland boasts the Northern Hemisphere’s largest ice
sheet—694, 981 square miles (1.8 million square
kilometers)—which covers 85 percent of its total area • Humboldt,
its largest glacier, is 62 miles (100 kilometers) wide and 164 to 328
feet (50 to 100 meters) thick.
Land
At 3.7 billion years, Greenland’s rocks are among the oldest on
Earth • It’s the world’s largest island at 810,810 square miles (2.1
million square kilometers) • Two-thirds of Greenland lies in the
Arctic Circle • At 193,050 square miles (500,000 square
kilometers), North-East Greenland National Park is the world’s
largest national park.
People and Culture
Erik the Red, founder of Greenland’s first European settlement,
selected the name “Greenland” to make Icelandic colonists think
the land would be fertile and rich, though only one percent of
Greenland’s land is pastureland • In the 10th century A.D., the
kayak was developed as a hunting boat by the Thule, a prehistoric
culture. Mattak (whale blubber) is a popular Greenlandic delicacy.
—Carrie Miller
Carrie Miller is a TRAVELER associate researcher.
Basics
Entering the Country
www.denmarkemb.org/visa.htm
Entry requirements and contact information from the Royal Danish
Embassy, which handles visa requirements for travel to Greenland
Getting There
www.greenland-guide.gl/gt/address/gttrafik.htm
A direct link to airlines with Greenland routes: First Air,
Greenlandair, Icelandair, and Scandinavian Airlines
Making Telephone Calls
www.att.com/traveler/tools/codes2.html
Includes Greenland’s international access code as well
as codes for over 100 other countries
Determining Time Zones
www.isbister.com/worldtime/wt-current.asp?locationid=109
Direct link to time zones for various regions in Greenland
Acquiring Weather Forecasts
cires.colorado.edu/people/steffen.group/jbox/greenland_wx.htm
Weather forecasts and climate links from the Greenland Climate
Network
Deciding Where to Stay
www.all-hotels.com/index.asp?page=www.all-
hotels.com/arctic/greenland/home.htm
This accommodation and travel site offers listings and information
on hotels in Ilulissat, Kangerlussuaq, Maniitsoq, and Nuuk
www.hotelstravel.com/greenland.html
The Hotels and Travel site offers links on accommodations,
transportation, tourist services, and regional information
www.infohub.com/TravelGuide/ACCOMMODATION/
EUROPE/greenland.html
InfoHub’s accommodations directory lists links for
hotels, hostels, and camping
Selecting Outfitters for Activities and Tours
www.arctic-adventure.dk/rd001.html
Includes Arctic Adventures’s tour offerings in West Greenland,
Disko Bay, and South Greenland—plus, accommodations
information and travel links
iserit.greennet.gl/gtem
An overview of Greenland Tours Elke Meissner’s sporting and
outdoor excursions and links for apartments and rentals
www.nonnitravel.is/greenl.html
Listings of expeditions by Nonni Travel, including kayaking,
boating, dogsledding, and hiking outings
www.atplay.com/heli/go/index.html
Information on tours by Greenland Outdoors; plus, Greenland
travel and lodging overviews
Acquiring More Information
www.greenland-guide.gl
Extensive site by the Greenland National Tourist Board that
includes activities, history, accommodations, airlines, culture,
cruise lines, getting there, and entry requirements—plus,
information on adventures, maps, photos, and travel agencies
www.kidon.com/media-link/greenland.shtml
A direct link to Atagu, Greenland’s Internet news site, and a Nuuk
radio station, Kalaallit Nunaata Radio
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