Nuuk is the capital and most populous city of Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory, at about 64 degrees 11 minutes north, making it the world's northernmost capital, with roughly 20,113 residents as of January 2025, more than a third of Greenland's total population. Established in 1728 when Danish-Norwegian missionary Hans Egede relocated his settlement to the Inuit site of Nuuk and named it Godthaab, it reverted to its Greenlandic name meaning cape when Greenland gained home rule in 1979, and it has one of the highest proportions of Indigenous residents of any city, with Greenland's population nearly 90 percent Inuit.
Facts
Area (sq km) Founding Year Population Estimate Year Elevation (m) Sources
1. Nuuk - Wikipedia
Body, introduction (population figure)
In January 2025, it had a population of 20,113
Body, introduction (population year)
In January 2025, it had a population of 20,113
Infobox, elevation_m
5
Body, introduction
The city was founded in 1728 by the Danish-Norwegian missionary Hans Egede
Wikidata claim P625 coordinate location (latitude component)
64.175,-51.733333333333
Wikidata claim P625 coordinate location (longitude component)
64.175,-51.733333333333
- In Group: Cities of Northern America (World), Wikipedia lead, confirms city and jurisdiction
On Continent: North America
Nuuk (Greenlandic pronunciation: [nuːk] ; formerly Danish: Godthåb) is the capital and most populous city of Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark.
View the Source2. Nuuk (Wikidata)
Wikidata: Nuuk
Wikidata Q226, class allow-list match verified against P17/real-world identity (w-geo-qidcite-0926).View the Source Reader Challenges (0)
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