© Shutterstock

Northeast Greenland National Park -

This is the world's largest national park, encompassing a whopping 375,000 sq mi (972,000 km2) of the interior and northeastern coast of Greenland.

© Shutterstock

Northeast Greenland National Park - A UNESCO biosphere reserve, the park has no permanent human presence, but does number a huge population of musk oxen, as well as numerous polar bears and walruses. The magnificent Kaiser Franz Joseph Fjord (pictured) is also found here.

© Shutterstock

Musk oxen -

Named for the strong odor emitted during the seasonal rut by males, musk oxen occur in four of Greenland's protected areas and enjoy full immunity from hunting.

© Shutterstock

Arctic fox - You'll likely stumble across this beautiful little mammal during your travels in Greenland. Seen here in its winter coat, the Arctic fox is well adapted to living in cold environments.

© iStock

Greenland ice sheet -

The Greenland ice sheet, an immense body of ice covering 660,000 sq mi (1,710,000 km2), roughly 80% of the territory's surface, is melting faster than scientists thought. The pace of ice loss has increased four-fold since 2003.

© Shutterstock

Ilulissat -

The colorful town of Ilulissat is Greenland's most popular tourist destination.

© Shutterstock

Ilulissat -

The town is forever associated with Greenlandic–Danish polar explorer Knud Rasmussen (1879–1933), who was the first European to cross the Northwest Passage via dogsled. His birthplace is now the Knud Rasmussen Museum.

© Shutterstock

Ilulissat - With a population of a little over 4,500, Ilulissat is the third largest community in the territory, after Nuuk and Sisimiut. The local cemetery serves as a picturesque reminder of residents past.

© NL Beeld

Ilulissat -

Ilulissat is the Kalaallisut (Eskimo–Aleut) word for "icebergs," and the name is rather apt.

© iStock

Ilulissat - A pair of mountain bikers take to the "road" to explore the nearby Ilulissat Icefjord. Greenland is an exceptional destination for adventure tourists and outdoors enthusiasts.

© NL Beeld

Ilulissat Icefjord -

Ilulissat neighbors the outstanding Ilulissat Icefjord, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

© Shutterstock

Ilulissat Icefjord -

The Ilulissat Icefjord runs west 25 mi (40 km) from the Greenland ice sheet to Disko Bay, just south of Ilulissat town.

© Shutterstock

Ilulissat Icefjord - Ilulissat Icefjord's Jakobshavn Isbræ glacier is the most productive glacier in the Northern Hemisphere—around 20 billion tonnes of icebergs pass out of the fjord every year. Disko Bay's nutrient-rich waters sustain an amazing variety of wildlife, including the humpback whale (a springtime visitor).

© iStock

Ilulissat Icefjord -

The gigantic icebergs that break off Jakobshavn Isbræ can be as big as a football field and up to a kilometer, or 3,300 ft, in height. This amazing environment makes for great kayaking territory.

© Shutterstock

Nuuk - Greenland's capital and largest city, Nuuk was founded in 1728 and is the world's northernmost capital city.

© Shutterstock

Nuuk -

The city's cultural draws number several interesting visitor attractions. The standout, however, is the Greenland National Museum. This is where you'll find the famous Qilakitsoq mummies, discovered in an icy tomb in 1972 and dated back to around 1475.

© Public Domain

Nuuk - The city, positioned at the end of the Nuup Kangerlua Fjord on the eastern shore of the Labrador Sea, is Greenland's cultural and economic hub. Its population currently numbers about 18,000.

© iStock

Nuuk -

Hans Egede (1686–1758) was a Norway-born missionary known as the "Apostle of Greenland." He founded Greenland's capital Godthåb, now known as Nuuk. His residence, built in 1728, can be admired from the outside, but the interior is closed to the public.

© Shutterstock

Oqaatsut -

Pictured are the colorful houses of Oqaatsut (formerly Rodebay, or Rodebaai). This tiny settlement is located on a small peninsula jutting off the mainland into eastern Disko Bay. It had 46 inhabitants in 2010.

© Shutterstock

The Southern Fjords -

Greenland's southernmost fjords are equally impressive and are noted for their granite cliffs that soar up in the sky to form huge peaks like Uiluit Qaaqa and Ulamertorsuaq.

© Shutterstock

The Southern Fjords - The region's cloud-kissing mountains offer up some of the best climbing challenges in the world.

© Shutterstock

Hvalsey -

One of the last contemporary written mentions of the Norse Greenlanders records a marriage that took place in 1408 in the church of Hvalsey, near Qaqortoq—today the best-preserved Nordic ruins in the territory.

© Getty Images 

Qaqortoq -

Located near Cape Thorvaldsen in southern Greenland, the spruce town of Qaqortoq is another tourist hot spot.

© Shutterstock

Qaqortoq -

The town's roots are firmly embedded in Norse culture. Indeed, written records of South Greenland history begin with the arrival of the Norse in the late 10th century. The town is noted for its 1990s Stone & Man project, when a collective of Nordic artists carved sculptures into rock faces and boulders in the town.

© Shutterstock

Ulamertorsuaq - One of Greenland's majestic natural wonders, Ulamertorsuaq stands 6,079 ft (1,858 m) over Tasermiut Fjord. Together with Ketil and Nalumasortoq, the three peaks dominate the region.

© Public Domain 

Qassiarsuk -

The aurora borealis, or northern lights, dance over a sleepy Qassiarsuk, a settlement in southern Greenland.

© Shutterstock

Qassiarsuk -

Qassiarsuk stands on what was once known as Brattahlíð (or Brattahlid), an ancient Viking colony established in the 10th century. A reconstruction (pictured) of what's believed to be the first European church in the Americas sits on the shores of Tunulliarfik Fjord.

© Getty Images 

Scoresby Sound -

Also known as Kangertittivaq, this expansive body of water in eastern Greenland is one of the largest and longest fjord systems in the world.

© Shutterstock

Kulusuk -

Picture perfect Kulusuk is an attractive base for hikers, climbers, and polar adventurers (dogsledding is a very popular winter pastime).

© Shutterstock

East Greenland -

An obligatory Greenland experience if visiting during the winter, dogsledding lets you travel the Inuit way over Greenland's frozen sea ice.

See also: Why Iceland is a hot destination.

© Shutterstock