Qaarsut (old spelling: Kʼaersut) is a settlement in Avannaata municipality, in northwestern Greenland. It is situated on the northeastern shore of the Nuussuaq Peninsula. It had 174 inhabitants in 2020.[2]
Geography
The village is located on the north coast of the Nuussuaq peninsula at the foot of the 1977 m high mountain Qilertinnguit and approx. 20 km west of Uummannaq.
History
Until January 2009, the settlement belonged to Uummannaq Municipality.
The first coal mine in Greenland operated between 1778 and 1924 in Qaarsuarsuit.
The Qaarsuarsuit coal mine in 1907
Inuit Settlement
A few kilometers east of Qaarsut is the Inuit settlement Qilakitsoq. The settlement is known for the discovery in 1972 of eight mummified bodies from the Thule culture. The mummies of Qilakitsoq provided important insight into the lives of Inuit people who lived 500 years ago in the Thule culture.
Infrastructure
The school and the church are housed in the same building. Additionally, the village provides essential amenities such as a shop, service center, and health station.
Education
In 2011, the school had a total of 40 students, spanning from 1st to 9th grade, but organized into just four classes. The school is part of the Greenlandic school network, known as ATTAT, and is equipped with video conference equipment for teaching purposes.
