town on the west coast of Greenland, near the mouth of Jakobshavn Fjord on Qeqertarsuup (Disko) Bay. The Greenlandic name of the town means “icebergs.” The town's first permanent houses were built by Danes in 1741 on the site of a Greenlandic (Eskimo) settlement. It was named in honour of Jakob Severin, who, in a 1739 naval battle, defeated four Dutch vessels in Qeqertarsuup Bay. Ilulissat was the birthplace of the explorer Knud Rasmussen (Rasmussen, Knud). The town has a number of 18th-century buildings, two small harbours, a memorial to Rasmussen, and an airport. There are also several schools, including vocational training schools. The catching and processing of halibut and shrimp is important to the economy. In the early 21st century the town was becoming a centre for tourism. Pop. (2005 est.) 4,533.