Upernavik Icefjord is a fjord

Fjord

Geologically, a fjord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created in a valley carved by glacial activity.-Formation:A fjord is formed when a glacier cuts a U-shaped valley by abrasion of the surrounding bedrock. Glacial melting is accompanied by rebound of Earth's crust as the ice...

 in the Qaasuitsup

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...

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Geography

The 70 km (43.5 mi) long fjord flows to the northwest between two chains of islands, emptying into Baffin Bay

Baffin Bay

Baffin Bay , located between Baffin Island and the southwest coast of Greenland, is a marginal sea of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is connected to the Atlantic via Davis Strait and the Labrador Sea...

. The head of the fjord is located at the mainland of Greenland, at the front of Upernavik Glacier

Upernavik Glacier

Upernavik Glacier is a large tidewater glacier in the Qaasuitsup municipality on the northwestern shore of Greenland. It drains a large portion of the Greenland ice sheet westwards into Upernavik Icefjord....

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In the northeast, a chain of larger islands flank the fjord, from east to west: Maniitsoq Island

Maniitsoq Island (Upernavik Archipelago)

Maniitsoq Island is a island of Greenland. It is located in Tasiusaq Bay in the Upernavik Archipelago....

, Puugutaa Island

Puugutaa Island

Puugutaa Island is a island of Greenland. It is located in Tasiusaq Bay in the Upernavik Archipelago....

, Sisuarissut Island

Sisuarissut Island

Sisuarissut Island is a island of Greenland. It is located in Tasiusaq Bay in the Upernavik Archipelago....

, Qaneq Island

Qaneq Island

Qaneq Island is a island of Greenland. It is located in Tasiusaq Bay in the Upernavik Archipelago....

, and Tussaaq Island

Tussaaq Island

Tussaaq Island is a island of Greenland. It is located in Tasiusaq Bay in the Upernavik Archipelago....

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The chain of islands bounding the fjord from the southwest consists of mostly small islands and 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....

. The major islands are, from east to west: Uilortussoq Island

Uilortussoq Island

Uilortussoq Island is a island of Greenland. It is located in Baffin Bay in the Upernavik Archipelago....

, Qeqertarsuaq Island

Qeqertarsuaq Island (Upernavik Icefjord)

Qeqertarsuaq Island is a island of Greenland. It is located in Baffin Bay in the Upernavik Archipelago....

, and Aappilattoq Island

Aappilattoq Island (Upernavik Icefjord)

Aappilattoq Island is an island in the Qaasuitsup municipality in northwestern Greenland. It is one of two islands of the same name in the Upernavik Archipelago.- Geography :...

. Further to the northwest of Aappilattoq, the islands become progressively smaller.