Paamiut, town, southwestern Greenland, on the Atlantic coast at the mouth of 30-miles- (48-km-) long Kvanefjord and south-southeast of Frederikshåbs Isblink (ice field), a navigation landmark. It was founded in 1742. After World War II it was chosen to be a model of modernization and a major centre of growth; significant investments in fisheries were made, and a large fish-processing plant (among the largest in the North Atlantic at the time) was built. However, after the cod stock declined, the economy deteriorated, and the town stagnated. Pop. (2005 est.) 1,817.