Appat Island
Encyclopedia
Appat Island is an uninhabited island in the Qaasuitsup
municipality in northwestern Greenland
. At 211 square kilometre, it is one of the larger islands in the Uummannaq Fjord
system, located in its north-central part.
Air Greenland
helicopters approach Ukkusissat Heliport
on the way from Uummannaq Heliport
alongside the southern and western wall of Appat, to then pass above the narrow Appat Ikerat strait between Appat and a smaller, mountainous Salleq Island
.
and Salliaruseq Island
in the south by the central arm of the Uummannaq Fjord; from the Salleq Island in the west by the Appat Ikerat strait; from the Ukkusissat Peninsula in the north and northeast by the Torsukattak Strait. A small archipelago of low-lying skerries
lies directly to the southeast of the island, with a small settlement of Saattut
.
It is very mountainous, with precipitous walls falling from the glaciated summit plateau
in all directions. The plateau (and the island itself) is bissected by the Naqellorssuaq valley. The highest point on the island is Appat Qaqaa (1688 m (5,538.1 ft)), a nunatak
in the western part of the glaciated summit plateau. The coastline is undeveloped, apart from the Umiasuqasuup Ilua fjord at the southeastern end.
activities in the area are likely to resume in the future, providing an economic lifeline to the communities of the Uummannaq
region, keeping the relatively new Qaarsut Airport
open.
to the northwest. Package tourists visit the 'desert' on the cape as part of an organized tour from Uummannaq. Movement within the interior of Appat is restricted to mountaineering
.
Qaasuitsup
Qaasuitsup is a new municipality in Greenland, operational from 1 January 2009. As of January 2010 its population is 17,749. The administrative center of the municipality is in Ilulissat...
municipality in northwestern Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
. At 211 square kilometre, it is one of the larger islands in the Uummannaq Fjord
Uummannaq Fjord
Uummannaq Fjord is a large fjord system in the northern part of western Greenland, the largest after Kangertittivaq fjord in eastern Greenland...
system, located in its north-central part.
Air Greenland
Air Greenland
Air Greenland A/S is the flag carrier airline of Greenland, jointly owned by the government of Greenland, the SAS Group, and the government of Denmark...
helicopters approach Ukkusissat Heliport
Ukkusissat Heliport
Ukkusissat Heliport is a heliport in Ukkusissat, a village in the Uummannaq Fjord system in the Qaasuitsup municipality in northwestern Greenland. The heliport is considered a helistop, and is served by Air Greenland as part of a government contract...
on the way from Uummannaq Heliport
Uummannaq Heliport
Uummannaq Heliport is a heliport in Uummannaq, a town located on Uummannaq Island in the Qaasuitsup municipality in northwestern Greenland. There are no facilities in the heliport.-Airlines and destinations:...
alongside the southern and western wall of Appat, to then pass above the narrow Appat Ikerat strait between Appat and a smaller, mountainous Salleq Island
Salleq Island
Salleq Island is an uninhabited island in the Qaasuitsup municipality in northwestern Greenland. It is located in the north-central part of the Uummannaq Fjord...
.
Geography
Appat Island is separated from Uummannaq IslandUummannaq Island
Uummannaq Island is a small island in the Qaasuitsup municipality in northwestern Greenland. Located in the south-central part of the Uummannaq Fjord, it is home to the most prominent mountain on the Arctic coast of western Greenland, and to Uummannaq, the largest town north of Ilulissat.The...
and Salliaruseq Island
Salliaruseq Island
Salliaruseq Island is an uninhabited island in the Qaasuitsup municipality in northwestern Greenland. At , it is one of the larger islands in the Uummannaq Fjord system, located in its central part due east of Uummannaq Island...
in the south by the central arm of the Uummannaq Fjord; from the Salleq Island in the west by the Appat Ikerat strait; from the Ukkusissat Peninsula in the north and northeast by the Torsukattak Strait. A small archipelago of low-lying skerries
Skerry
A skerry is a small rocky island, usually defined to be too small for habitation. It may simply be a rocky reef. A skerry can also be called a low sea stack....
lies directly to the southeast of the island, with a small settlement of Saattut
Saattut
Saattut is a settlement in the Qaasuitsup municipality, in northwestern Greenland, Located on a small Saattut Island, southeast of Appat Island and northeast of Uummannaq in the Uummannaq Fjord system, the settlement had 212 inhabitants in 2010.- Transport :Air Greenland serves the village as part...
.
It is very mountainous, with precipitous walls falling from the glaciated summit plateau
Plateau
In geology and earth science, a plateau , also called a high plain or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting of relatively flat terrain. A highly eroded plateau is called a dissected plateau...
in all directions. The plateau (and the island itself) is bissected by the Naqellorssuaq valley. The highest point on the island is Appat Qaqaa (1688 m (5,538.1 ft)), a nunatak
Nunatak
A nunatak is an exposed, often rocky element of a ridge, mountain, or peak not covered with ice or snow within an ice field or glacier. The term is typically used in areas where a permanent ice sheet is present...
in the western part of the glaciated summit plateau. The coastline is undeveloped, apart from the Umiasuqasuup Ilua fjord at the southeastern end.
Promontories
| Name | Direction | Latitude N | Longitude W |
|---|---|---|---|
| Naakaleqaoq | Western Cape | 70°53′45″ | 52°10′55″ |
| Pania | Northern Cape | 70°58′51″ | 52°02′35″ |
| Uiffaq | Eastern Cape | 70°52′32″ | 51°34′17″ |
| Kangimut Sammissoq | Southern Cape | 70°50′25″ | 51°40′50″ |
Mining
Qaqortuatsiaq, located on the northern coast of Appat near the shore of the Torsukattak Strait, is a former marble quarry, now abandoned. MiningMining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
activities in the area are likely to resume in the future, providing an economic lifeline to the communities of the Uummannaq
Uummannaq
Uummannaq is a town in the Qaasuitsup municipality, in northwestern Greenland. With 1,299 inhabitants as of 2010, it is the eleventh-largest town in Greenland, and is home to the country's most northerly ferry terminal...
region, keeping the relatively new Qaarsut Airport
Qaarsut Airport
Qaarsut Airport is an airport in Qaarsut, a settlement on the Nuussuaq Peninsula in the Qaasuitsup municipality in northwestern Greenland. It is a primary airport with a gravel runway, capable of serving STOL aircraft of Air Greenland in all seasons...
open.
Access
The island can be reached via individually charetered fishing boats from Saattut, the settlement on a skerry off the southeastern cape, or from UkkusissatUkkusissat
Ukkusissat is a settlement in the Qaasuitsup municipality, in northwestern Greenland. The population of the settlement was 170 in 2010.- Geography :...
to the northwest. Package tourists visit the 'desert' on the cape as part of an organized tour from Uummannaq. Movement within the interior of Appat is restricted to mountaineering
Mountaineering
Mountaineering or mountain climbing is the sport, hobby or profession of hiking, skiing, and climbing mountains. While mountaineering began as attempts to reach the highest point of unclimbed mountains it has branched into specialisations that address different aspects of the mountain and consists...
.