Since January 1, 2009, the settlement has been part of the Kujalleq municipality, when the former municipalities of Qaqortoq, Narsaq, and Nanortalik ceased to exist as administrative entities.
With an area of just 100 km² (600 km² according to other sources), it was the smallest municipality of Greenland, bordering on the former Narsaq municipality in the north, east, and south, and on the west by the Labrador Sea.
The church ruins of Dyrnes can be found on the north-western outskirts of the town.