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Settlements
Greenland is the world’s largest non-continental island with more than 2.166.086 km2, whereof only 410.448 km2 are ice free, which means not covered by the Greenland ice sheet. The country’s inhabitants are spread along this ice-free area, which refers to the coastal areas. Out of 56,542 people, less than 3.000 live along the entire East coast of Greenland. In East Greenland there remain currently only 2 separate inhabited areas, one is the Ammassalik region and the other one is Ittoqqortoormiit. Ittoqqortoormiit has currently 324 inhabitants while the Ammassalik region is home to around 2.500 residents. In East Greenland around 72% of people live the 2 main towns, while the remaining 28% lives spread across the settlements, which vary in size from 59 to 234 inhabitants. In Greenland, the term “settlement” refers to small, often remote communities or villages.
These settlements are typically located far from major urban centers and vary greatly in size, infrastructure, and services. While some settlements have a few hundred residents, others are home to only a small, close-knit group of people. These communities rely heavily on traditional industries, such as fishing and hunting, alongside modern economic activities. In many settlements, each house is equipped with its own heating system, although most homes do not have running water. Water for daily use must be collected from communal water points. However, there is always at least one building, known as the service house, that provides essential facilities like showers and laundry services for the entire community. To make up for the limited infrastructure, many houses and institutions serve double purposes, ensuring that residents have access to basic amenities and services despite the remote location.