Nanortalik means “the place where the polar bears go” – a reference to the polar bears that occasionally drift into the area with the pack ice from the east coast. Greenland’s southernmost district extends from the island of Qeqertarsuaq, northwest of Alluitsup Paa on the west coast, all the way to Lindenow Fjord on the east coast, and covers the entire area down to Cape Farewell. Nanortalik is renowned for its rugged mountain peaks and sheer cliffs towering over Tasermiut Fjord. Visitors to the area can see Greenland’s only natural forest.
“The place where the polar bears go” has been known since Norse times when it was called “Hrakbjarnayrey”, meaning “the island where the bears were pursued”. The Inuit were the first to settle here, hunting and living in small groups. Christianity has also left its mark on the area, with many church ruins throughout the region. During the Norse period, a convent and a monastery were founded in Lichtenau Fjord. Today there are roughly 2,700 people living in the district, with 1,560 in the town itself and the rest in the surrounding settlements. The largest of these outlying communities is Alluitsup Paa (Sydprøven), with more than 500 inhabitants.