1940, a treaty signed in Godhavn allowed American relief airplanes bound for the British Isles to use Greenlandic, Icelandic, and Scottish airspace. A result of World War II was the fact that Denmark, under the control of Nazi Germany, could not freely send supplies to Greenland; this task fell to the United States and Canada. Supplies were stored near Aasiaat, and were then transferred to other towns of the region, such as Uummannaq and Sisimiut. Post-World War II Aasiaat has grown much since the war. A weather station was constructed in 1942 by the Americans. Cod, an economically popular fish since the 1930s, were caught and sent to a new factory to be salted and packed. Other businesses sprang up, accommodating to the resources and climate of the region. This boom reached its peak in the 1950s, when a power plant and telecommunications station were installed. In 1998, a new landing strip was opened to the public (previously a heliport was the only aerial facility); it is near a shrimp processing factory. Today, almost 4,800 people live in Aasiaat and its neighboring settlement, Kangaatsiaq. Geography The largest island of the Aasiaat Archipelago is Saqqarliup Nunaa, which is uninhabited, but has buildings to accommodate tourists. On the western tip of the island is the abandoned village of Manermiut. As of 2013 the total population of the archipelago is spread among three settlements: The town of Aasiaat (3,142 inhabitants), is located on the namesake island just northwest of Saqqarliup Nunaa. The settlement of Akunnaaq (98 inhabitants) is located on the namesake island just northeast of Saqqarliup Nunaa, east-north-east of Aasiaat. The settlement of Kitsissuarsuit (87 inhabitants) is located on the small namesake island (Danish Hunde Ejland, for the village and the island), northwest of Aasiaat. Another abandoned village is Vester Ejland on the namesake island, the westernmost of the archipelago, west-south-west of Aasiaat. Climate Aasiaat has a polar climate (Köppen ET) with a July mean of only . Population With 3,069 inhabitants as of 2020, Aasiaat is the largest town in the Qeqertalik municipality. The population has fluctuated considerably over the last two decades, decreasing 3% relative to the 2001 levels and increasing more than 10% relative to the 2008 levels. Education Aasiaat has four schools: a regular school (Gammeqarfik), a highschool (GU-Aasiaat), a vocational school (Piarersarfik), and a school for the mentally disabled (Ado Lyngep Atuarfia). Economy Fishing of shrimp and