Disko Island

Disko

Native name: Qeqertarsuaq
Qeqertarsuaq town on Disko Island
Disko Island Disko Island (Greenland)
Geography
Location	Baffin Bay
Coordinates	69°45′N 53°30′W / 69.75°N 53.5°W / 69.75; -53.5Coordinates: 69°45′N 53°30′W / 69.75°N 53.5°W / 69.75; -53.5
Area	8,578 km2 (3,312 sq mi)
Length	160 km (99 mi)
Highest elevation	1,919 m (6,296 ft)
Country
Greenland
Municipality	Qaasuitsup
Demographics
Population	1100
Ethnic groups	Inuit

Disko Island (Kalaallisut: Qeqertarsuaq, Danish: Disko øer) is a large island in Baffin Bay, off the west coast of Greenland. It has an area of 8,578 km² (3,312.0 sq mi),^[1] making it the second largest island of Greenland (after the main island of Greenland) and one of the 100 largest islands in the world. The name Qeqertarsuaq means The Large Island (from qeqertaq = island).

Geography

The island has a length of about 160 km (99.4 mi), rising to an average height of 975 m (3,198.8 ft), peaking at 1,919 m (6,295.9 ft). The port of Qeqertarsuaq (named after the island, and also known as Godhavn) lies on its southern coast.

The island is separated from Nuussuaq Peninsula in the northeast by the Sullorsuaq Strait. To the south of the island lies Disko Bay, an inlet bay of Baffin Island.^[2]

History

Eric the Red paid the first recorded visit to Disko Island at some time between 982 and 985 and it may have been used as a base for summer hunting and fishing by Viking colonists.^{[citation needed]}

Geology

Mineral deposits, fossil finds and geological formations have added to the interest in the area. One of the interesting geological features is the native iron found at the island. A 22t lump of a mixture of iron and iron carbide has been found. There are only few places on earth where native iron can be found which is not of meteoric origin.^[3][4] There are numerous hot springs on the island. The microscopic animal Limnognathia, the only known member of its phylum, was discovered in these springs.

References

1. ^ Norwegian University of Science and Technology
2. ^ Nuussuaq, Saga Map, Tage Schjøtt, 1992
3. ^ Bird, John M.; Goodrich, Cyrena Anne; Weathers, Maura S. (1981). "Petrogenesis of Uivfaq iron, Disko Island, Greenland". Journal of Geophysical Research 86 (B12): 11787–11805. Bibcode 1981JGR....8611787B. doi:10.1029/JB086iB12p11787. 
4. ^ W. Klöck, H. Palme and H. J. Tobschall (1986). "Trace elements in natural metallic iron from Disko Island, Greenland". Zeitschrift Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology 93 (3): 273–282. Bibcode 1986CoMP...93..273K. doi:10.1007/BF00389387.