Qaarsorsuaq Island

Qaarsorsuaq

Aerial view of Qaarsorsuaq Island
Qaarsorsuaq
Geography
Location	Greenland
Coordinates	72°43′N 55°56′W / 72.717°N 55.933°W / 72.717; -55.933Coordinates: 72°43′N 55°56′W / 72.717°N 55.933°W / 72.717; -55.933
Archipelago	Upernavik Archipelago
Area	124.7 km2 (48.1 sq mi)
Length	14.83 km (9.215 mi)
Width	17.6 km (10.94 mi)
Coastline	67.6 km (42 mi)
Highest elevation	1,042 m (3,419 ft)
Highest point	Sandersons Hope
Administration
Greenland
Municipality	Qaasuitsup

Qaarsorsuaq Island (old spelling: Qaerssorsuaq) is an uninhabitedisland in the Qaasuitsup municipality in northwestern Greenland. At 124.7 km² (48.1 sq mi), it is one of the largest islands in the Upernavik Archipelago, located in its southern part. The name of the island means "a large rock surface" in the Greenlandic language.

Qaarsorsuaq Island is located in the outer belt of islands in the Upernavik Archipelago, in the group between the Upernavik Icefjord in the north, and Nunavik Peninsula in the south, approximately 7 km (4.3 mi) to the southeast of Upernavik town, from which it is separated by the smaller Akia Island.

In the north, the Torsuut strait separates it from Atilissuaq Island, and several skerries. In the northeast, small, low islands of Tapeq, Qeqertat, and Nunaa separate the island from the larger Aappilattoq Island, home to the Aappilattoq settlement. In the east and southeast, Qaarsorsuaq Island is separated from the large Nutaarmiut Island by the Akornat Strait.

The island has a complicated shoreline, with several small bay and inlet indentiations. The largest inlet is the Saqqarsuaq Fjord in the south.

Due to the complicated shoreline the island has a number of promontories, some of which bear identical names, such as Qoornoq and Apparsuit. The names: rock surface and rock fall (or rock wall), respectively, refer to the landform shapes of the promontories, and are very common in the archipelago.

The island is mountainous throughout, with several distinct summits. The highest point on the island is the summit of the Sandersons Hope mountain in the western part of the island, at 1,042 m (3,418.6 ft). Via a small isthmus in the north, the island is connected with an otherwise standalone mountain, the flooded peak of Umiasussuk, the trapezoid shape of which is the landmark of Upernavik town, visible from the Upernavik Airport and the entire eastern and northern coast of Upernavik Island.