Ilulissat Icefjord

Ilulissat Icefjord in western Greenland extends from the Greenland ice sheet to Disko Bay and is among the Arctic’s best-known ice fjords. Fed by Jacobshavn Isbræ, or Sermeq Kujalleq, the Northern Hemisphere’s most productive glacier, it receives immense icebergs, some so large they remain grounded for years before drifting to sea. The fjord is significant not only for its striking landscape but also for science: ice from the area preserves a record reaching back about 250,000 years, and study of the glacier has informed understanding of human-caused climate change. The surrounding area has supported human communities for nearly 4,000 years and remains important for fishing, hunting, and tourism.

Avannaata · Greenland