New island discovered in Greenland

Most northerly island discovered - 13th September 2021

A tiny island has been discovered off the coast of Greenland. The island is located further north than any other and is the closest point to the North Pole.

Greenland is a huge Arctic territory which belongs to Denmark.

In the early summer, a Swiss-Danish team of six scientific researchers flew to Oodaaq. This island, which was thought to be the most northern island off Greenland, was discovered in 1978. The researchers were hoping to do some environmental research. But on returning, they found out that their actual position had been 800 metres further north.

This new island, which is still without a name, measures only 60 by 30 metres.

The group reached the position of Oodaaq island in a small helicopter, but could not locate it. Places are hard to find in the Arctic. They finally landed on a small island surrounded by sea ice, which they presumed was Oodaaq. After returning from the expedition, they discovered their mistake.

The new island is 800 metres north of Oodaaq. The scientists now want it to be named Qeqertag Avannarleq, which means "the northernmost island" in Greenlandic.

Unfortunately, the island's small size and height, only three metres above sea level, means the island's life may be short. "No one knows how long it will remain," said the expedition leader, Morten Rasch, of Copenhagen University.