by The American Geosciences Institute Thursday, August 30, 2018
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This island is located within a fjord and showcases the prominent granite and gneiss mountain seen here, which rises 1,170 meters above sea level. The mountain’s two summits, of roughly equal elevation, give rise to the island’s name, which means “heart-shaped.”
In 1972, eight mummies of Inuit women and children thought to date from about A.D. 1475 were found nearby on the shores of the fjord.
The only town on the 12-square-kilometer island, which serves as a research base for scientists studying the nearby ice sheet, is at the southern end and covers about 10 percent of the land mass.
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Answer: Uummannaq Island is located in a fjord off the west coast of Greenland. Uummannaq, meaning “heart-shaped,” refers to the dual-peaked mountain that towers over the island. The island’s 12-square-kilometer town serves as a research base for scientists studying the nearby ice sheet. Photo is by Allen Fraser.
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