Naajaat means “young gulls”, and the settlement is located on a small island with the same name, some 40 km northeast of Upernavik. Naajaat Island enjoys a scenic location in a fiord close to an active glacier on the inland ice.
The terrain in and around Naajaat is hilly, so the houses are mainly located on the top of small mountain knolls or hill surfaces which surface water can easily run off.
Provisions and subareas
The general provisions apply to all subareas of the municipalities in towns, settlements and open country areas. The provisions are general and do not consider the local conditions in the subareas.
General provisions of the Town Plan
The overall provisions for each subarea are the basis for the municipality"s granting of area allotments and building permits.
The current level of service and housing is to match the development of the settlement. Further urban development is to take place within the existing settlement area.
Fishing is the basis for living in the settlement, and the citizens wish for the establishment of a trading facility, for which a sufficient area is to be ensured. The cape south of the settlement may be a suitable location for fish production facilities or tourism trades, which are also a priority (huts and stays).
Naajaat is the second smallest settlement in the Upernavik district, with only 54 inhabitants divided on 13 households. Seen over a 30-year period, the population of Naajaat has varied. In 1980, it numbered 44 persons. After 1990, the population increased significantly, peaking at 65 in 2005, only to fall to 50 in 2010. Since then, the population has increased to the current level of 57 inhabitants (1 February 2013).
All existing buildings in Naajaat are situated in the shared area on the coast, and this is where future development is to take place – primarily in the southern part – while duly protecting the recreational open area to the south, where tourist facilities may be established. Towards the north, the dump prevents further residential development.
In the town plan, the remaining residential capacity is estimated at five homes.
The primary trade in Naajaat is Greenland halibut fishing, which employs the majority of the inhabitants. Naajaat’s environs are one large fishing area, but local fishermen have to go to the neighbouring settlement of Innaarsuit to trade their catches. Innaarsuit and Naajaat are the two settlements in the area where trading of catches and fishing constitute the largest percentage of the gross income.
Naajaat has no real port, but the northern part of the settlement includes a zoned area for industry and port facilities as well as three small areas which dinghies can call on. From there, mountain steps lead into the settlement. There is no port with fixed constructions, so there is no designated port authority area.
In addition to fishing, jobs relate to home-help services, Nukissiorfiit, privately owned night-soil collection services, and the school, which also acts as a church and village hall. Another secondary trade is tourism. By 2015, the unemployment rate in the rural areas of the Upernavik district was 10.9% overall. This is slightly higher than Upernavik, where the unemployment rate was 9.3%. Likewise, it is slightly higher than both the municipal average (9.1%) and the national average (9.1%).
In the town plan, the remaining capacity for industry and port facilities is estimated at 5,500 m2.
Naajaat has no helistop, but an area has been zoned for a heliport. Transport is therefore by ship, sledge or snowmobile. There are no roads or paths in Naajaat.
The technical operation is handled by Nukissiorfiit, and telecommunication is handled by TELE Greenland A/S.
Nukissiorfiit is responsible for power and heat supply (produced via oil burners). The power supply is based on a diesel-powered settlement power plant. Naajaat has no water supply. There is a dump, but no incineration plant. Because of the challenging terrain and lack of roads, all refuse has to be transported to the beach and sailed to the dump by a dinghy. In the winter, dog sledges are used.
Naajaat has no shops, and the nearest shop and post office are 12 km to the east in Innaarsuit. The settlement offers no day-care services.
The elementary school, Niisip Atuarfia, was built in 1972 and numbers around five pupils in forms 1 through 8.
The school building also acts as a church and village hall. Naajaat also boasts a settlement library. There are no special activities or facilities targeting the children or youth, and the school is used for all social and cultural events in the settlement.
Naajaat has no reservation-worthy buildings.
Naajaat and the surrounding country offer a wealth of nature experiences, which could be interesting in terms of tourism. For instance, plans are being made to construct a tourist hut and better jetty facilities for dinghies and kayaks.
