| Background |
Greenland, the world's largest island, is about 81% ice-capped. Vikings reached the island in the 10th century from Iceland; Danish colonization began in the 18th century, and Greenland was made an integral part of Denmark in 1953. It joined the European Community (now the EU) with Denmark in 1973, but withdrew in 1985 over a dispute centered on stringent fishing quotas. Greenland was granted self-government in 1979 by the Danish parliament; the law went into effect the following year. Denmark continues to exercise control of Greenland's foreign affairs in consultation with Greenland's Home Rule Government. |
| Location |
Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada |
| Area |
total: 2,166,086 sq km
land: 2,166,086 sq km (410,449 sq km ice-free, 1,755,637 sq km ice-covered) (2000 est.) |
| Area - comparative |
slightly more than three times the size of Texas |
| Climate |
arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters |
| Terrain |
flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow, mountainous, barren, rocky coast |
| Elevation extremes |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Gunnbjorn 3,700 m |
| Natural resources |
coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, molybdenum, diamonds, gold, platinum, niobium, tantalite, uranium, fish, seals, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas |
| Land use |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005) |
| Natural hazards |
continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island |
| Environment - current issues |
protection of the arctic environment; preservation of the Inuit traditional way of life, including whaling and seal hunting |
| Geography - note |
dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe; sparse population confined to small settlements along coast; close to one-quarter of the population lives in the capital, Nuuk; world's second largest ice cap. |
| Population |
57,564 (July 2008 est.) |
| Age structure |
0-14 years: 23.5% (male 6,867/female 6,634)
15-64 years: 69.9% (male 21,683/female 18,575)
65 years and over: 6.6% (male 1,892/female 1,913) (2008 est.) |
| Population growth rate |
0.064% (2008 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate |
total: 11.2 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 12.84 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 9.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth |
total population: 69.46 years
male: 66.81 years
female: 72.25 years (2008 est.)
female: 67.91 years (2002 est.)
male: 59.4 years |
| Ethnic groups |
Greenlander 88% (Inuit and Greenland-born whites), Danish and others 12% (2000) |
| Religions |
Evangelical Lutheran |
| Languages |
Greenlandic (East Inuit), Danish, English |
| Literacy |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100% (2001 est. |
| Government type |
parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy |
| Capital |
Nuuk (Godthab) |
| Independence |
none (extensive self-rule as part of the Kingdom of Denmark; foreign affairs is the responsibility of Denmark, but Greenland actively participates in international agreements relating to Greenland) |
| Legal system |
the laws of Denmark, where applicable, apply |
| Suffrage |
18 years of age; universal |
| Flag description |
two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a large disk slightly to the hoist side of center - the top half of the disk is red, the bottom half is white
|
| Economy - overview |
The economy remains critically dependent on exports of fish and a substantial subsidy from the Danish Government, which supplies about half of government revenues. The public sector, including publicly owned enterprises and the municipalities, plays the dominant role in the economy. Several interesting hydrocarbon and mineral exploration activities are ongoing. Press reports in early 2007 indicated that two international aluminum companies were considering building smelters in Greenland to take advantage of local hydropower potential. Tourism is the only sector offering any near-term potential, and even this is limited due to a short season and high costs. Air Greenland began summer-season direct flights to the US east coast in May 2007, potentially opening a major new tourism market. |
| GDP - per capita |
$20,000 (2001 est.) |
| Labor force |
32,120 (2004) |
| Unemployment rate |
9.3% (2005 est.) |
| Industries |
fish processing (mainly shrimp and Greenland halibut); gold, niobium, tantalite, uranium, iron and diamond mining; handicrafts, hides and skins, small shipyards |
| Agriculture - products |
forage crops, garden and greenhouse vegetables; sheep, reindeer; fish |
| Exports - commodities |
fish and fish products 94% (prawns 63%) (2001 est.) |
| Imports - commodities |
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, petroleum products |
