Paamiut
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Paamiut (Danish: Frederikshåb, Pre-1973 spelling: Pâmiut) is a town in southwest Greenland and also the administrative centre of the municipality of Paamiut.
Approximate location is . Population is 1,817 (as of 2005).
The town has a heliport with connections to Nuuk, Grønnedal and Narsarsuaq by helicopter. Since November 2007, an airport is built by Mittarfeqarfiit.
Paamiut is situated in the southern end of a small estuary called Kuannersooq - the inlet , and the city name means "they who reside by the mouth". People have, it seems, lived there since around 1500 bc. It was established in 1742 and later prospered on trading fur and whale products. It also became known for its soapstone artists. In the 1950's Paamiut developed a booming cod industry that lasted until 1989 when the cod populations crashed. In connection with a development plan called G60 Paamiut was chosen as to be the place to live for the whole population of the municipality. Therefore the number of people living there rose a lot during the 50's.
The town has one of the finest churches in Greenland built in 1909 it is made of wood and is of Norwegian style drafted in Norway. The absorbing local museum is located in the centre, in original buildings from the previous century ,among these a carpenter workshop and a salt warehouse.
As in the other towns of Westgreenland the sea is free of ice during the winter , and the occupation of the 2.100 inhabitants of Paamiut ,and the sole township Arsuk, is naturally fishing. Icebergs, coming adrift along the eastcoast of Greenland and continuing up along the west coast normally arrives in the autumn bringing numerous seals marking this season as a great time for the local hunters.
[edit] References
- Greenland and the Arctic. By Etain O'Carroll and Mark Elliott. Lonely Planet 2005. ISBN 1-74059-095-3.
- Greenland in Figures 2005 Statistics Greenland. 3rd Edition, May 2005. ISSN 1604-7397
[edit] External links
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