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Tasiilaq is a hidden, secluded town behind vast ice in Greenland, located 2,932 kilometers from Denmark in the far north.
Tasiilaq means lake-shaped. The initial name is Ammassalik, or Amazon in the form of small fish.
This town is situated approximately 106 km south of the Arctic Circle on the southeast coast of Ammassalik Island, the harbor coast of the Tasiilaq Fjord, and the large Serklik Fjord further to the west.
Surrounded by mountains and the ocean, this city has remained hidden. The vast blue ocean surrounds this city from the east and south.
To reach this town, one must take a helicopter or a ship because there is no nearby land route.
Tasiilaq is covered by mountain ice up to 2,500 meters, while the east and south are surrounded by the vast blue ocean, which becomes the main attraction and natural beauty.
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The Local Residents and The Extreme Climate in Tasiilaq
Danish explorers founded this area as a trading station in 1894 and officially named it Tasiilaq in 1997.
In 2020, around 1,985 people lived in Tasiilaq. The population in this town has increased, making it one of the fastest-growing cities and the most populous community on the east coast, ranking as the 7th largest city in Greenland.
Despite the growing population, residents of Tasiilaq still need to adjust to the extreme climate.
Tasiilaq has a tundra climate with long, snowy winters and a very short summer period.
The extreme weather, including the dangerous storm Piteraq, almost reduced the entire town to near-ruin on February 6, 1970.
Surrounded by frozen sea waters, local residents are currently fighting global warming because the ice is starting to melt.
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Surviving In The Middle Of Greenland’s Frozen Ocean Waters
Known as the most isolated part of Greenland, many residents in this town live safely and comfortably.
Tasiilaq has adequate facilities, such as hospitals, hotels, bars, ports, museums, and more.
The houses and other buildings in this town are made of sturdy wood to keep the temperature warm inside, even though it is cold outside.
The colorful houses in this town also make the landscape view between snowy mountains even more beautiful.
The beauty of nature is inversely proportional to the conditions of the locals who live in this city.
There are not many activities and work during the cold weather in Tasiilaq.
The nature with less fertile soil couldn’t grow anything on their land.
Surrounded by the cold Atlantic Ocean, there are also not many fish that live and are caught.
The locals depend on supply ships that come to Tasiilaq to deliver fruits, vegetables, and other necessities to the city in early July and mid-October.