Northeast Greenland National Park

 

Northeast Greenland National Park
IUCN category II (national park)
Location	Greenland
Coordinates	76°N 30°W
Area	972,000 km2 (375,000 sq mi)
Established	22 May 1974

Northeast Greenland National Park (Kalaallisut: Kalaallit Nunaanni nuna eqqissisimatitaq, Danish: Grønlands Nationalpark) is the largest national park in the world, with an area of 972,000 km² (375,000 sq mi), making the park larger than 219 countries. It is the only national park in Greenland, and the most northerly national park in the world, its most northerly point reaching slightly further than the most northerly point in Quttinirpaaq National Park in Canada. The park encompasses the entire northeastern coastline and interior sections of Greenland.

Geography

The park shares borders, largely laid out as straight lines, with the Sermersooq municipality in the south and with the Qaasuitsup municipality in the west along the 45° West meridian on the ice cap in the west. The large interior of the park is part of the Greenland Ice Sheet, but there are also large ice-free areas along the coast and on Peary Land in the north.

History

Franz Josef Fjord

Originally created on 22 May 1974 from the northern, practically uninhabited part of the former Ittoqqortoormiit Municipality in Tunu (East Greenland), in 1988 the park was expanded by another 272,000 km² (105,019.8 sq mi) to its present size, adding the northeastern part of the former county of Avannaa (North Greenland). In January 1977 it was designated an international biosphere reserve. The park is overseen by the Greenland Department of Environment and Nature. The historical research camps on the ice sheet−Eismitte and North Ice−fall within the boundaries of the present-day park.

Population

Zackenberg station

The park has no permanent human population. In 1986, the permanent population of the park was 40, living at Mestersvig, although 400 sites saw occasional summertime use. These 40 were involved in cleanup and closeout operations at mining exploration sites and soon left. Since then censuses have recorded zero permanent human population. Recently only 31 people and about 110 dogs were present over winter in North East Greenland, distributed among the following stations (all on the coast, except Summit Camp):

• Daneborg (12) headquarters of the Sirius Patrol, the park policing agency
• Danmarkshavn (8) civilian weather station
• Station Nord (5) military base
• Mestersvig (2) military outpost with 1,800 m gravel runway
• Zackenberg (0) summer-only research station
• Summit Camp (4) research station on the Greenland Ice Sheet

During summer scientists add to these numbers. The research station ZERO (Zackenberg Ecological Research Operations) 74°28′11″N 20°34′15″W can cater for over 20 scientists and station personnel.

Fauna

Rypefjord

An estimated 5,000 to 15,000 musk oxen, as well as numerous polar bears and walrus, can be found near the coastal regions of the park. This is claimed to be 40% of the world population of musk ox. Other mammals include arctic fox, stoat, collared lemming and arctic hare. Other marine mammals include ringed seal, bearded seal, harp seal and hooded seal as well as narwhal and Beluga whale.

Species of birds which breed in the park include great northern diver, barnacle goose, pink-footed goose, common eider, king eider, gyrfalcon, snowy owl, sanderling, ptarmigan and raven.

See also

• List of national parks

External links

• Main park webpage
• Image gallery
• UN website on park
• ZERO - Zackenberg Ecological Research Operations
• WWF Wildworld Ecoregion NA1112
• Exploration History of Northeast Greenland