# Tasiilaq

> town in Greenland

**Wikidata**: [Q2139799](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2139799)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tasiilaq)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/tasiilaq

## Summary
Tasiilaq is a town in southeastern Greenland, formerly known as Ammassalik. Founded in 1894, it serves as the administrative center of the Sermersooq municipality and was the capital of the former Ammassalik Municipality. As of the preferred 2018 census figure, the town has a population of 2,006.

## Key Facts
*   **Location:** Town in Greenland, located in the Sermersooq municipality at coordinates 65.615°N, 37.641°W.
*   **Inception:** Founded in 1894.
*   **Population:** The preferred census value is 2,006 for the year 2018 (determination method: census). Historical census data shows growth from 1,023 in 1977 to 2,006 in 2018.
*   **Official Names:** Officially named **Ammassalik** until 1991, renamed **Tasiilaq** starting in 1992.
*   **Aliases:** Also known as Ammassalik, Angmagssalik, Oscarshavn, Kong Oscars Havn, Angmassalik, 旧称アンマサリク, 昂马沙利克.
*   **Administration:** Capital of the former Ammassalik Municipality; currently part of Sermersooq.
*   **Elevation:** 1 meter above sea level.
*   **Timezone:** UTC−03:00.
*   **Postal Code:** 3913.
*   **UN/LOCODE:** GLAGM.
*   **Instance Of:** Classified as a city and a human settlement.
*   **Website:** Official municipal website is https://sermersooq.gl/.
*   **Twin Town:** Twinned with Kópavogsbær (Kópavogur), Iceland.
*   **Identifiers:** GND ID 4566606-4, VIAF ID 157154567, Geonames ID 3424607, Freebase ID /m/0b4zdt, Library of Congress Control Number n84092335.

## FAQs
**Where is Tasiilaq located?**
Tasiilaq is situated on the southeastern coast of Greenland within the Sermersooq municipality. Its precise geographic coordinates are 65.615 degrees north latitude and 37.641 degrees west longitude.

**What is the population of Tasiilaq?**
According to the preferred census data from Statistics Greenland, Tasiilaq had a population of 2,006 as of January 1, 2016 (reported in the 2018 data release). The town has experienced steady growth since official records began, with the 1977 census counting 1,023 residents.

**Why was the name changed from Ammassalik to Tasiilaq?**
The official name was changed from **Ammassalik** to **Tasiilaq** in 1992. The new name is the modern Kalaallisut (Greenlandic) spelling for the area and its indigenous people, reflecting a shift towards using local language names for places.

**What is the timezone in Tasiilaq?**
Tasiilaq operates on UTC−03:00, which is the standard time zone for eastern Greenland.

**Is Tasiilaq twinned with any other city?**
Yes, Tasiilaq is twinned with **Kópavogsbær** (the town of Kópavogur) in Iceland. This is a formal administrative partnership between the two municipalities.

## Why It Matters
Tasiilaq is a critical regional hub for eastern Greenland, serving as the primary administrative, service, and transportation center for the vast and remote Ammassalik region. Its establishment as a trading post in 1894 anchored Danish colonial administration and economic activity in an area traditionally inhabited by the Tunumiit Inuit. The town's evolution, including its 1992 name change to Tasiilaq, symbolizes the broader cultural and political reassertion of Greenlandic identity and self-governance. As the former capital of Ammassalik Municipality, it played a central role in local governance before the 2009 municipal reform. Its isolated location, accessible primarily by air and sea, makes it a vital logistical node for surrounding settlements and a focal point for understanding demographic trends, climate change impacts, and cultural continuity in the Arctic.

## Notable For
*   **Name Reclamation:** The official change from the Danish-derived "Ammassalik" to the Greenlandic "Tasiilaq" in 1992 is a notable example of decolonizing place names.
*   **Former Municipal Capital:** It served as the capital of the now-dissolved Ammassalik Municipality, a significant administrative division.
*   **Extreme Eastern Location:** It is one of the easternmost permanent settlements in Greenland, with coordinates placing it in a remote, ice-affected part of the North Atlantic.
*   **Documented Demographic Growth:** The town has a uniquely detailed, multi-decade census record from Statistics Greenland, showing a near-doubling of its population from 1,023 (1977) to 2,006 (2018).
*   **International Twinning:** Its twinning relationship with Kópavogur, Iceland, highlights its connection to other North Atlantic communities.

## Body

### History and Naming
Tasiilaq was founded in 1894. For nearly a century, it was officially known as **Ammassalik**, a name derived from the surrounding fjord and the indigenous Tunumiit people. In 1992, the official name was changed to **Tasiilaq**, the modern Greenlandic (Kalaallisut) spelling. This change is documented in its official name properties, with "Ammassalik" having an end time of 1991 and "Tasiilaq" a start time of 1992. The town is described in the 5th edition of *Trap Danmark* under the entry "Angmagssalik/Angmagssalik Kommune".

### Geography and Location
Tasiilaq is located on the coast of the Ammassalik Fjord in southeastern Greenland. Its geographic coordinates are **65.615°N, 37.641°W**. The town has a very low elevation of **1 meter** above sea level. It operates within the **UTC−03:00** timezone. It is part of the large **Sermersooq** municipality, which covers much of southern and eastern Greenland.

### Demographics
Tasiilaq has a well-documented population history through regular censuses conducted by Statistics Greenland. The population has grown significantly over the latter half of the 20th century and early 21st century:
*   **1977:** 1,023
*   **1985:** 1,343
*   **1995:** 1,644
*   **2005:** 1,848
*   **2015:** 2,093
*   **2018 (preferred):** 2,006 (census as of 2016-01-01)
The data shows a general upward trend with minor fluctuations, peaking around 2015 before a slight decrease. The 2018 figure is marked as the preferred value with a determination method of "census".

### Administration and Governance
Tasiilaq is the administrative center of the **Sermersooq** municipality. Historically, it was the **capital of the former Ammassalik Municipality** prior to the 2009 municipal reform that consolidated Greenland's municipalities. The town's official municipal website is **https://sermersooq.gl/**.

### Names and Linguistic Identity
The town has numerous historical and alternative names (aliases): **Ammassalik, Angmagssalik, Oscarshavn, Kong Oscars Havn, Angmassalik**, plus transliterations in Japanese (旧称アンマサリク, 昂马沙利克). The **native label** is **Tasiilaq**. The existence of these multiple names reflects its history under Danish colonization (Oscarshavn/Kong Oscars Havn) and the various spellings of the Inuit name. It is distinct from other entities, as noted in its "different_from" property.

### Infrastructure and Services
*   **Postal Code:** 3913.
*   **UN/LOCODE:** GLAGM, assigned by the UN/CEFACT.
*   **Elevation:** 1 meter.
*   It is served by **Tasiilaq Heliport** (implied by its remote location and role as a regional hub).

### International Relations
Tasiilaq is **twinned** with the Icelandic town of **Kópavogsbær** (Kópavogur). This relationship is formalized in its administrative twinning property.

### Cultural and Media Presence
The town has a significant presence across global knowledge bases and media:
*   **Wikipedia:** The article exists in 30+ languages (ar, de, en, es, fr, ja, ru, zh, etc.).
*   **Wikimedia Commons:** Has a dedicated category and a page banner image (`Tasiilaq_banner.jpg`) and a view image (`Tasiilaq,_view_of_the_middle_of_the_town.jpg`).
*   **Identifiers:** It is cataloged in numerous national and international authority files, including the German National Library (GND ID 4566606-4), the Virtual International Authority File (VIAF ID 157154567), the US Library of Congress (n84092335), and the Israeli National Library (J9U ID 987007564773105171). It also has IDs in the World Historical Gazetteer (13494288), Encyclopædia Britannica Online (place/Tasiilaq), and Who's On First (101870583).

### Data Sources and Provenance
The structured data for Tasiilaq is sourced from and referenced within Wikidata and academic/governmental publications. Key references include:
*   Statistics Greenland (`bank.stat.gl`) for population census data.
*   The German Wikipedia (de.wikipedia.org) for GND ID reference.
*   *Trap Danmark* (5th ed.) for historical description.
*   The UN/CEFACT service for the UN/LOCODE.
*   The GeoNames database for the Geonames ID.

## References

1. Virtual International Authority File
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
3. MusicBrainz
4. [Statistics Greenland](http://bank.stat.gl/Dialog/varval.asp?ma=BEEST4&path=../Database/Greenland/Population/Population%20in%20Greenland/&lang=1)
5. [Statbank Greenland](http://bank.stat.gl/pxweb/en/Greenland/Greenland__BE__BE01__BE0120/BEXST4.PX/?rxid=6ca430db-8cff-4915-aad6-82f4013ce159)
6. GeoNames
7. BBC Things
8. [Source](https://service.unece.org/trade/locode/gl.htm)