Maniitsoq, formerly Sukkertoppen, is a town in Maniitsoq Island, western Greenland located in the Qeqqata municipality. With 2,670 inhabitants, it is the sixth-largest town in Greenland.HistoryArchaeological finds indicate that the area has been settled for more than 4,000 years.The modern town was founded as New or Nye-Sukkertoppen in 1782 by Danish colonists relocating from the original Sukkertoppen, a trading post founded in 1755 at the site of present-day Kangaamiut. In time, the original name was taken up again.In the 19th century, the town served as a major trading post for the Royal Greenland Trading Department's trade in reindeer hides.Maniitsoq Municipality was a former municipality of Greenland. It is now part of Qeqqata Municipality.IndustryThere are advanced plans for an Alcoa aluminium smelting plant either at Maniitsoq or Sisimiut. The plant would provide employment for 600 - 700 people, or more than 1 percent of the population of Greenland. As it is a vital decision for the town, wide public consultations were carried out in 2008 - 2010 by both the town authorities and the Greenland Home Rule Government in order to address potential environmental and social concerns.