The Greenland ice sheet is a vast body of ice covering 1,710,000 square kilometres (660,000 sq mi), roughly near 80% of the surface of Greenland. It is sometimes referred to as an ice cap, or under the term inland ice, or its Danish equivalent, indlandsis. An acronym, GIS, is frequently used in the scientific literature.
Kane Basin is an Arctic waterway lying between Greenland and Canada's northernmost island, Ellesmere Island. It links Smith Sound to Kennedy Channel and forms part of Nares Strait. It is approximately 180 kilometres in length and 130 km at its widest.
The Holocene glacial retreat is a geographical phenomenon that involved the global retreat of glaciers (deglaciation) that previously had advanced during the Last Glacial Maximum. Ice sheet retreat initiated ca. 19,000 years ago and accelerated after ca. 15,000 years ago. The Holocene, starting with abrupt warming 11,700 years ago, resulted in rapid melting of the remaining ice sheets of North America and Europe.
The retreat of glaciers since 1850 affects the availability of fresh water for irrigation and domestic use, mountain recreation, animals and plants that depend on glacier-melt, and, in the longer term, the level of the oceans. Deglaciation occurs naturally at the end of ice ages, but glaciologists find the current glacier retreat is accelerated by the measured increase of atmospheric greenhouse gases—an effect of climate change. Mid-latitude mountain ranges such as the Himalayas, Rockies, Alps, Cascades, Southern Alps, and the southern Andes, as well as isolated tropical summits such as Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa, are showing some of the largest proportionate glacial losses. Excluding peripheral glaciers of ice sheets, the total cumulated global glacial losses over the 26 year period from 1993–2018 were likely 5500 gigatons, or 210 gigatons per yr.
Petermann Glacier is a large glacier located in North-West Greenland to the east of Nares Strait. It connects the Greenland ice sheet to the Arctic Ocean at 81°10' north latitude, near Hans Island.
Zachariae Isstrom is a large glacier located in King Frederick VIII Land, northeast Greenland.
Nunatarsuaq is a nunatak in Avannaata municipality in northwestern Greenland.
Anoritooq is a nunatak in Avannaata municipality in northwestern Greenland.
The McGary Islands is a small coastal island group in Avannaata municipality, off NW Greenland.
Peabody Bay is a large bay in northwestern Greenland. Administratively it is part of Avannaata municipality.
Bernstorff Fjord is a fjord in King Frederick VI Coast, eastern Greenland.
Puisortoq is a glacier on the east coast of Greenland. It has been in a status of retreat for the past years.
Washington Land is a peninsula in northwestern Greenland. It is a part of the Avannaata municipality.
Ryder Glacier, is one of the major glaciers in northern Greenland.
Steensby Glacier is a major glacier in northern Greenland.
Inglefield Gulf or Inglefield Fjord is a fjord in northwestern Greenland. To the west, the fjord opens into the Baffin Bay. Administratively it belongs to the Avannaata municipality.
Rink Glacier, is a glacier in NW Greenland. Administratively it belongs to the Avannaata municipality.
Godthab Gulf, also known as Godthaab Golf, Clavering Fjord, Clavering Sound and Inner Bay, is a fjord in King Christian X Land, East Greenland. Administratively it is part of the Northeast Greenland National Park zone.
Dodge Glacier, is a glacier in northwestern Greenland. Administratively it belongs to the Avannaata municipality.
