Friday 23 July 2010

The Capital of Greenland


Today we visited Nuuk, the capital and the largest city of Greenland.  According to the government guide, Greenland In figures 2010, the population of Nuuk is 15,469 making it one of the smallest capital cities in the world.  The total population of Greenland is 56,452.
There is a vibrant air in Nuuk that is  different from other Greenlandic communities. Perhaps it is a "big city" hustle and bustle.  Not only is Nuuk a government town with the headquarters of all political parties located here but the university is here as well, as is the national museum, national radio and television stations and the Katuaq Culture Centre. It is a centre for Greenlandic art and culture and is the fastest growing city in Greenland. It has shown steady growth over the last two decades.
As one might expect wilderness is right on the doorstep of Nuuk. Fortunately and unfortunately I joined a fabulous hike in the wild terrain bordering the city.  That was fortunate.  Unfortunately I did not have time to explore the vibrant city.  The photos for today's blog are all from our hike.