Greenland, often envisioned as a vast, flat expanse of ice, actually possesses a dramatic and extensive mountainous terrain. While a massive ice sheet dominates its interior, significant mountain ranges emerge, particularly along its rugged coastlines. These peaks and ranges offer a striking contrast to the icy landscape, revealing a diverse geological history.
Greenland’s Mountainous Terrain
Greenland’s mountains are predominantly found in the ice-free coastal regions, forming a relatively narrow but substantial fringe around the island. These peaks rise sharply from deep fjords, creating a striking landscape. Over 2,300 exposed peaks dot these coastal areas, showcasing the island’s underlying rocky foundation. They are rugged, often displaying steep, jagged profiles shaped by geological forces and glacial activity.
Some peaks partially submerged by the ice sheet are known as nunataks, a Greenlandic term meaning “lonely peak.” These isolated mountain summits protrude through the surrounding glacial ice, appearing like islands in a vast, white sea. Nunataks offer insights into the underlying topography and geological history of areas otherwise hidden by ice.
Prominent Peaks and Ranges
Greenland is home to several notable mountain ranges and individual peaks. The highest point on the island is Gunnbjørn Fjeld, located in the Watkins Range on the east coast. This peak reaches an elevation of 3,694 meters (12,119 feet), making it the highest mountain north of the Arctic Circle. The Watkins Range also contains several other summits exceeding 3,500 meters.
Beyond the Watkins Range, other significant peaks include Mont Forel, situated in the Schweizerland range. This peak rises to 3,383 meters (11,024 feet) and is the highest point outside the Watkins Range. The Ejnar Mikkelsen Range and Borgetinde Range, also located in eastern Greenland, feature peaks over 3,200 meters. In southern Greenland, areas like the Tasermiut Fjord are known for their imposing granite walls and peaks, which attract climbers.
How Greenland’s Mountains Formed
Greenland’s mountains are ancient geological formations, shaped by tectonic activity and uplift. The island’s bedrock contains some of the oldest rocks on Earth, with some formations dating back 3.6 to 3.8 billion years. Major mountain-building events, such as the Ketilidian orogeny around 1.8 billion years ago in southern Greenland and the Caledonian orogeny between 490 and 390 million years ago in eastern Greenland, formed them.
The landscape underwent substantial uplift during two distinct phases, approximately 10 and 5 million years ago, raising existing plateaus. While tectonic forces created the initial structures, subsequent erosion, largely by glaciers and ancient rivers, sculpted the features seen today. This long geological history predates the current ice sheet.
Mountains and the Ice Sheet
The massive Greenland Ice Sheet covers approximately 80% of the island’s surface, obscuring the underlying topography. While coastal mountains are visible, much of Greenland’s landmass, including extensive mountain ranges, lies hidden beneath this vast ice cover. Ice-penetrating radar has mapped this unseen landscape, revealing a complex network of buried mountains and deep canyons.
The ice sheet averages about 1,500 meters (5,000 feet) thick, with some areas reaching over 3 kilometers (1.9 miles). This immense ice volume makes the interior of Greenland appear relatively flat from above. However, the tallest mountain peaks, the nunataks, are the only features breaking through the icy expanse, serving as visible markers of the rugged terrain concealed below.