Editing Transport in Greenland

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[[File:Nuuk Airport 2024.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Nuuk Airport]]]]
[[File:Uummannaq-Salliaruseq.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The port of [[Uummannaq]]]]
[[File:Nuuk bus.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Bus of [[Nuup Bussii|Nuup Bussii A/S]] in downtown [[Nuuk]]]]
[[File:Kangerlussuaq overview.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Kangerlussuaq Airport]]]]
[[Transport]] in [[Greenland]] is very unusual in that there are virtually no roads between towns, no [[railway]]s, and no [[inland waterway]]s. Historically most transport has been by boat around the coast in summer and, particularly in the north and east, by [[dog sled]] in winter. Now, air travel by helicopter or other aircraft is the main mode.

==Air transport==
{{main article|List of airports in Greenland}}
While [[Germany]] occupied [[Denmark]] during [[World War&nbsp;II]], the [[United States]] controlled Greenland and built bases and [[airport]]s. The airports were codenamed as [[Bluie West One]] through to [[Bluie West Eight]] on the west of the island and [[Bluie]] East One to Blue East Four on the eastern side (some had only sea plane access, some no air access). The largest of those airports, [[Bluie West Eight]], now renamed [[Kangerlussuaq Airport]], became the international hub for travel to Greenland for decades, as it was the only airport that had a long enough runway to service [[Wide-body aircraft|large jets]] (not counting Thule Airbase). American authorities at one time entertained the idea of building a road from Kangerlussuaq to the second-largest airport, in Narsarsuaq, several hundred kilometres to the south. The idea was abandoned after feasibility studies failed to prove it was possible. These airbases are generally not located near settlements, so travellers needed an air transfer by helicopter (small plane from Kangerlussuaq) to reach settlements. All civil aviation matters are handled by the [[Civil Aviation Administration Denmark]] or the [[Greenland Airport Authority]]. In 2024, [[Nuuk Airport]] was extensively rebuilt and expanded, leading to the transition of the international hub from Kangerlussuaq.

Greenland has 18 airstrips, 14 of which are paved. Some are based on US airbases, but most are built by the Greenlandic government. All domestic flights are operated by [[Air Greenland]]. The name was [[anglicisation|anglicized]] in 2002 from the [[Danish language|Danish]] Grønlandsfly (Air Greenland in English). Year-round scheduled International flights are to  [[Copenhagen Airport|Copenhagen]] and [[Keflavík International Airport|Keflavík-Reykjavík Airport]], Iceland. Other airlines operate seasonal and charter flights.
[[Icelandair]] flies from Keflavík-Reykjavík to [[Nuuk Airport|Nuuk]], [[Kulusuk Airport|Kulusuk]], [[Ilulissat Airport|Ilulissat]] and [[Narsarsuaq Airport|Narsarsuaq]]. Air Greenland has also operated a route from [[Iqaluit]] in Canada to Nuuk during summer during some years.

Air cargo is very important for Greenland. Most perishable foodstuff is imported from Denmark by air. It uses the Air Greenland Copenhagen–Nuuk passenger aircraft, and this is a reason why such a large aircraft is used.{{clarify|date=October 2020}} The air containers are then transported to the other airports by small planes that can use the small runways. Previously, when Kangerlussuaq was the hub, some air cargo was transported by boat from Kangerlussuaq, but not in the winter when the [[Kangerlussuaq Fjord]] freezes (one of the reasons to build the Sisimiut–Kangerlussuaq road).

A state-owned firm called Kalaallit Airports is since 2017 tasked with operating and updating the airports in Nuuk and Ilulissat.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-silkroad-greenland-idUSKCN1LQ2BX|title=Greenland picks Denmark as airport project partner over Beijing|date=2018-09-10|work=Reuters|access-date=2018-12-19|language=en}}</ref> This process has been contentious as Chinese firms bid for the contract, with one Danish PM stating "We don't want a communist dictatorship in our backyard."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-46386867|title=Could Greenland become China's Arctic base?|last=Simpson|first=John|date=2018-12-18|work=BBC News|access-date=2018-12-19|language=en-GB}}</ref>

==Roads==
There are no roads between settlements, only within them and around them.
There are 150&nbsp;km (90&nbsp;mi) of roads in the whole country; 60&nbsp;km (40&nbsp;mi) of the roads are paved. The roads are primary or local roads, there are no highways in Greenland.

There is a 4.5 km long asphalt road between the towns of [[Ivittuut]] and [[Kangilinnguit]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ivittuut-Kangilinnguit Road, the only paved road in Greenland |url=https://www.dangerousroads.org/europe/denmark/5246-ivittuut-kangilinnguit-road.html |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=www.dangerousroads.org |language=en-gb}}</ref>

Speed limit ranges from {{convert|50|kph|mph}} for local roads to {{convert|80|kph|mph}} on primary roads.

Some farms in the south have fairly extensive very simple roads for [[all-terrain vehicle]]s (not included in the above figures), used for sheep farming and hay collection. There are some other short simple gravel roads, such as that leading from the shore to [[Nukissiorfiit|hydropower plants]].

A {{convert|170|km|mi|adj=mid|-long}} road between [[Sisimiut]] and [[Kangerlussuaq]] was discussed for several years. In 2015 the cost of it (500 million [[Danish krone]]) caused it to be replanned as a much less costly one-lane road for [[off-road vehicle]]s. It was built in 2021 and 2022, at a cost of 25 million [[Danish krone|DKK]] (€3{{abbr|M|million}}).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://bygge-anlaegsavisen.dk/historisk-vejprojekt-mellem-sisimiut-og-kangerlussuaq-undervejs |title=Historisk vejprojekt mellem Sisimiut og Kangerlussuaq undervejs |date=2021-05-11 |publisher=Bygge- & Anlægsavisen |access-date=2022-04-10 |quote= |language=Danish |trans-title=Historic road project between Sisimiut and Kangerlussuaq ongoing}}</ref><ref>[https://sermitsiaq.ag/node/232296 ATV-sporet mellem Kangerlussuaq og Sisimiut er færdig]</ref> This road or wheel-track is of low quality and not included in the length of the road network.

==Water transport==
There are ports at [[Ilulissat]], [[Kangerlussuaq]] (also known by its Danish name Søndre Strømfjord), [[Qaqortoq]], [[Narsaq]], [[Nuuk]] (Godthåb), [[Aasiaat]] and [[Sisimiut]]. Several other towns have also small ports. The main users of the harbors are [[Royal Arctic Line]] and [[Arctic Umiaq Line]]. Royal Arctic Line organises freight ships, for example container ships, with regular sailings from Denmark. Arctic Umiaq Line runs a passenger ship which also carries freight. The distance from Denmark to Nuuk by ship is 3,800 kilometres (2,400&nbsp;mi/2,000 nmi/4 days at 20 knots), so more perishable foodstuff is imported by air.

There are no [[Roll-on/roll-off|car ferries]] in or to Greenland. It is possible to transport cars as container freight with [[Royal Arctic Line]] (both domestic and from Denmark). Passengers must travel by another method. This is done mostly when moving or buying a car, not normally when travelling, as there is no large road network anywhere.

Many of the tourists to Greenland arrive by [[cruise ship]].

==Railways==
Historically, special-purpose [[Narrow gauge|narrow gauge railways]] have operated, for purposes such as fish and mining.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://okj.malmborg.info/travelreports/Qoornoq_X-press/Qoornoq_X-press.htm|title = Narrow gauge railway on Greenland}}</ref>

* The [[Qoornoq X-press]] in the village of [[Qoornoq]] in the [[Nuuk]] [[fjord]], . The {{RailGauge|600mm|lk=on}} Qoornoq X-press was used for transporting fish from the harbour to scaffolds for drying.<ref name="NQ">{{cite web|url=http://okj.malmborg.info/travelreports/Qoornoq_X-press/Qoornoq_X-press.htm|title=Narrow gauge railway on Greenland|access-date=June 17, 2011}}</ref> The railway cars were only flatbed wagon cars with no locomotives to move them.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://okj.malmborg.info/travelreports/Qoornoq_X-press/Qoornoq_X-press.htm|title = Narrow gauge railway on Greenland}}</ref> Built in 1955, the railway was abandoned shortly before the village around 1971.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://okj.malmborg.info/travelreports/Qoornoq_X-press/Qoornoq_X-press.htm|title = Narrow gauge railway on Greenland}}</ref>

* [[Malmbjerg]]
* [[Mestersvig]] – likely for the local mines that existed in the 1950s and 1960s
* [[Julianehaab]]
* [[Ivigtut]] – likely for the local mine that once operated in the community
* [[Disko Island]] near [[Qutdligssat]]
* [[Maamorilik]]
* Cryolite quarry Ivigtut.<ref>https://www.jernbanen.dk/materiel.php?bid=19952</ref><ref>https://www.jernbanen.dk/materiel.php?bid=19212</ref><ref>https://www.jernbanen.dk/materiel.php?bid=19213</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commonscat-inline|Transport in Greenland}}

{{Wikivoyage-inline|Greenland}}

{{Greenland topics}}
{{Americas topic|Transport in}}

[[Category:Transport in Greenland| ]]