Greenland

Greenland, the world's largest island, is about 80% ice-capped. Vikings reached the island in the 10th century from Iceland; Danish colonization began in the 18th century, and Greenland became an integral part of the Danish Realm 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 remains a member of the Overseas Countries and Territories Association of the EU. Greenland was granted self-government in 1979 by the Danish parliament; the law went into effect the following year. Greenland voted in favor of increased self-rule in November 2008 and acquired greater responsibility for internal affairs when the Act on Greenland Self-Government was signed into law in June 2009. Denmark, however, continues to exercise control over several policy areas on behalf of Greenland, including foreign affairs, security, and financial policy in consultation with Greenland's Self-Rule Government.

Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada

72 00 N, 40 00 W

Arctic Region

total: 2,166,086 sq km

land: 2,166,086 sq km (approximately 1,710,000 sq km ice-covered)

country comparison to the world: 13

slightly more than three times the size of Texas

total: 0 km

44,087 km

territorial sea: 3 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line

arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters

flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow, mountainous, barren, rocky coast

highest point: Gunnbjorn Fjeld 3,694 m

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

mean elevation: 1,792 m

coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, molybdenum, diamonds, gold, platinum, niobium, tantalite, uranium, fish, seals, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas

agricultural land: 0.6% (2018 est.)

arable land: 0% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 0.6% (2018 est.)

forest: 0% (2018 est.)

other: 99.4% (2018 est.)

NA

settlement concentrated on the southwest shoreline, with limited settlements scattered along the remaining coast; interior is uninhabited

continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island

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 sheet after that of Antarctica covering an area of 1.71 million sq km (660,000 sq mi) or about 79% of the island, and containing 2.85 million cu km (684 thousand cu mi) of ice (this is almost 7% of all of the world's fresh water); if all this ice were converted to liquid water, one estimate is that it would be sufficient to raise the height of the world's oceans by 7.2 m (24 ft)

57,777 (2023 est.)

country comparison to the world: 206

noun: Greenlander(s)

adjective: Greenlandic

Greenlandic 89.1%, Danish 7.5%, other Nordic peoples 0.9%, and other 2.5% (2022 est.)

note: data represent population by country of birth

Greenlandic (West Greenlandic or Kalaallisut is the official language), Danish, English

Evangelical Lutheran, traditional Inuit spiritual beliefs

0-14 years: 20.46% (male 5,992/female 5,827)

15-64 years: 67.66% (male 20,271/female 18,820)

65 years and over: 11.89% (2023 est.) (male 3,641/female 3,226)

total dependency ratio: 43.6

youth dependency ratio: 30

elderly dependency ratio: 13.6

potential support ratio: 7.4 (2021)

total: 34.3 years

male: 35.1 years

female: 33.4 years (2020 est.)

country comparison to the world: 92

-0.04% (2023 est.)

country comparison to the world: 201

13.66 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

country comparison to the world: 129

9.07 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

country comparison to the world: 60

-4.95 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

country comparison to the world: 202

settlement concentrated on the southwest shoreline, with limited settlements scattered along the remaining coast; interior is uninhabited

urban population: 87.9% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 0.41% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

18,000 NUUK (capital) (2018)

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/female

total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

total: 8.6 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 10.08 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 7.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

country comparison to the world: 142

total population: 74.25 years

male: 71.56 years

female: 77.07 years (2023 est.)

country comparison to the world: 143

1.9 children born/woman (2023 est.)

country comparison to the world: 124

0.92 (2023 est.)

NA

improved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

NA

1.87 physicians/1,000 population (2016)

14 beds/1,000 population (2016)

improved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

NA

39.4% (2023 est.)

10.2% of GDP (2019 est.)

country comparison to the world: 4

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 100%

male: 100%

female: 100% (2015)

especially vulnerable to climate change and disruption of the Arctic environment; preservation of the Inuit traditional way of life, including whaling and seal hunting

arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters

agricultural land: 0.6% (2018 est.)

arable land: 0% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 0.6% (2018 est.)

forest: 0% (2018 est.)

other: 99.4% (2018 est.)

urban population: 87.9% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 0.41% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

country comparison to the world: 169

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

country comparison to the world: 103

carbon dioxide emissions: 0.51 megatons (2016 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually: 50,000 tons (2010 est.)

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Greenland

local long form: none

local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat

etymology: named by Norwegian adventurer Erik THORVALDSSON (Erik the Red) in A.D. 985 in order to entice settlers to the island

parliamentary democracy (Parliament of Greenland or Inatsisartut)

part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1979

name: Nuuk (Godthaab)

geographic coordinates: 64 11 N, 51 45 W

time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

time zone note: Greenland has four time zones

etymology: "nuuk" is the Inuit word for "cape" and refers to the city's position at the end of the Nuup Kangerlua fjord

5 municipalities (kommuner, singular kommune); Avannaata, Kujalleq, Qeqertalik, Qeqqata, Sermersooq

note: Northeast Greenland National Park (Kalaallit Nunaanni Nuna Eqqissisimatitaq) and the Thule Air Base in Pituffik (in northwest Greenland) are two unincorporated areas; the national park's 972,000 sq km - about 46% of the island - makes it the largest national park in the world and also the most northerly

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)

National Day, June 21; note - marks the summer solstice and the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere

history: previous 1953 (Greenland established as a constituency in the Danish constitution), 1979 (Greenland Home Rule Act); latest 21 June 2009 (Greenland Self-Government Act)

the laws of Denmark apply where applicable and Greenlandic law applies to other areas

see Denmark

18 years of age; universal

chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Mikaela ENGELL (since April 2011)

head of government: Premier Mute B. EGEDE (since 23 April 2021)

cabinet: Self-rule Government (Naalakkersuisut) elected by the Parliament (Inatsisartut)

elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by the monarch; premier indirectly elected by Parliament for a 4-year term

election results: 2021: Mute B. EGEDE elected premier; Parliament vote - Mute B. EGEDE 20-0

2014: Kim KIELSEN elected premier; Parliament vote - Kim KIELSEN (S) 27.2%, Sara OLSVIG (IA) 25.5%, Randi Vestergaard EVALDSEN (D) 19.5%, other 27.8%

description: unicameral Parliament or Inatsisartut (31 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote  - using the d'Hondt method - to serve 4-year terms)
Greenland elects 2 members to the Danish Parliament to serve 4-year terms

elections: Greenland Parliament - last held on 6 April 2021 (next to be held in 2025)
Greenland members to Danish Parliament - last held on 5 June 2019 (next to be held by 4 June 2023)

election results: Greenland Parliament - percent of vote by party - IA 38.7%, S 32.2%, N 12.9%, D 9.7%, A 6.5%; seats by party - IA 12, S 10, N 4, D 3, A 2; composition - men 21, women 10, percent of women 32.2%

Greenland members in Danish Parliament - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - IA 1, S 1; composition - 2 women

highest court(s): High Court of Greenland (consists of the presiding professional judge and 2 lay assessors); note - appeals beyond the High Court of Greenland can be heard by the Supreme Court (in Copenhagen)

judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the monarch upon the recommendation of the Judicial Appointments Council, a 6-member independent body of judges and lawyers; judges appointed for life with retirement at age 70

subordinate courts: Court of Greenland; 18 district or magistrates' courts

Democrats Party (Demokraatit) or D [Jens Frederik NIELSEN]
Fellowship Party (Atassut) or A [Aqqalu JERIMIASSEN]
Forward Party (Siumut) or S [Erik JENSEN]
Inuit Community (Inuit Ataqatigiit) or IA [Mute Bourup EGEDE]
Signpost Party (Naleraq) or N [Pele BROBERG] (formerly Partii Naleraq)

Arctic Council, ICC, NC, NIB, UPU

chief of mission: Kenneth HOEGH, Head of Representation; note - Greenland also has offices in the Danish consulates in Chicago and New York

chancery: Greenland Representation
3200 Whitehaven Street, NW
Washington, DC  20008

telephone: [1] (202) 234-4300

FAX: +1 (202) 328-1470

email address and website:
washington@nanoq.gl

All Greenlandic Representations | Grønlands Repræsentation (grl-rep.dk); 
https://naalakkersuisut.gl/en/Naalakkersuisut/Groenlands-repraesentation-Washington

chief of mission: Consul Joanie SIMON (since June 2021)

embassy: Aalisartut Aqqutaa 47
Nuuk 3900
Greenland

telephone: (+299) 384100

email address and website:
https://dk.usembassy.gov/embassy-consulate/nuuk/

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; the design represents the sun reflecting off a field of ice; the colors are the same as those of the Danish flag and symbolize Greenland's links to the Kingdom of Denmark

polar bear; national colors: red, white

name: "Nunarput utoqqarsuanngoravit" (Our Country, Who's Become So Old also translated as You Our Ancient Land)

lyrics/music: Henrik LUND/Jonathan PETERSEN

note: adopted 1916; the government also recognizes "Nuna asiilasooq" as a secondary anthem

total World Heritage Sites: 3 (2 cultural, 1 natural); note - excerpted from the Denmark entry

selected World Heritage Site locales: Ilulissat Icefjord (n); Kujataa, Norse and Inuit Farming (c); Aasivissuit–Nipisat, Inuit Hunting Ground (c)

large self-governing Danish territorial economy; preferential EU market access; high-income economy; dependent on Danish financial support, even for whaling and sealing industries; growing tourism; hydropower-fueled but environmentally fragile economy

$2.413 billion (2015 est.)

$2.24 billion (2014 est.)

$2.203 billion (2013 est.)

note: data are in 2015 US dollars

country comparison to the world: 194

0.36% (2020 est.)

2.27% (2019 est.)

0.62% (2018 est.)

country comparison to the world: 189

$41,800 (2015 est.)

$38,800 (2014 est.)

$38,500 (2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 45

$2.221 billion (2015 est.)

0.3% (January 2017 est.)

1.2% (January 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 17

agriculture: 15.9% (2015 est.)

industry: 10.1% (2015 est.)

services: 73.9% (2015)

household consumption: 68.1% (2015 est.)

government consumption: 28% (2015 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 14.3% (2015 est.)

investment in inventories: -13.9% (2015 est.)

exports of goods and services: 18.2% (2015 est.)

imports of goods and services: -28.6% (2015 est.)

sheep, cattle, reindeer, fish, shellfish

fish processing (mainly shrimp and Greenland halibut), anorthosite and ruby mining, handicrafts, hides and skins, small shipyards

8.56% (2019 est.) NA

country comparison to the world: 43

26,840 (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 207

agriculture: 15.9%

industry: 10.1%

services: 73.9% (2015 est.)

9.1% (2015 est.)

10.3% (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 148

16.2% (2015 est.)

33.9 (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 115

lowest 10%: NA

highest 10%: NA

revenues: $1.719 billion (2016 est.)

expenditures: $1.594 billion (2016 est.)

5.6% (of GDP) (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 5

13% of GDP (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 196

77.4% (of GDP) (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 2

calendar year

$407.1 million (2015 est.)

$599.7 million (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 193

Denmark 55%, China 22%, Japan 6% (2019)

shrimp, halibut, fish fillets, crabs, cod, mackerel (2021)

$783.5 million (2015 est.)

$866.1 million (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 194

Denmark 51%, Spain 23%, Sweden 12%, Iceland 7% (2019)

fishing ships, refined petroleum, construction vehicles, crustaceans, delivery trucks (2019)

$36.4 million (2010)

$58 million (2009)

country comparison to the world: 197

Danish kroner (DKK) per US dollar -

6.287 (2021 est.)

6.542 (2020 est.)

6.669 (2019 est.)

6.315 (2018 est.)

6.603 (2017 est.)

electrification - total population: 100% (2020)

installed generating capacity: 187,000 kW (2020 est.)

consumption: 481.7 million kWh (2019 est.)

exports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)

imports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 17 million kWh (2019 est.)

fossil fuels: 15.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity: 84.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

consumption: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves: 183 million metric tons (2019 est.)

total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 4,000 bbl/day (2019 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 150

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 159

3,973 bbl/day (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 177

production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

consumption: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

605,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 605,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

country comparison to the world: 187

total subscriptions: 6,352 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2020 est.)

country comparison to the world: 200

total subscriptions: 66,605 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 118 (2021 est.)

country comparison to the world: 201

general assessment: adequate domestic and international service provided by satellite, cables, and microwave radio relay; the fundamental telecommunications infrastructure consists of a digital radio link from Nanortalik in south Greenland to Uummannaq in north Greenland; satellites cover north and east Greenland for domestic and foreign telecommunications; a marine cable connects south and west Greenland to the rest of the world, extending from Nuuk and Qaqortoq to Canada and Iceland; a contract has been awarded to build a 5G network in Greenland, initially covering three towns, with 10 towns, including Greenland's capital Nuuk to follow (2022)

domestic: nearly 11 per 100 for fixed-line subscriptions and 118 per 100 for mobile-cellular (2021)

international: country code - 299; landing points for Greenland Connect, Greenland Connect North, Nunavut Undersea Fiber System submarine cables to Greenland, Iceland, and Canada; satellite earth stations - 15 (12 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 2 Americom GE-2 (all Atlantic Ocean)) (2019)

the Greenland Broadcasting Company provides public radio and TV services throughout the island with a broadcast station and a series of repeaters; a few private local TV and radio stations; Danish public radio rebroadcasts are available (2019)

.gl

total: 38,920 (2021 est.)

percent of population: 69.5% (2021 est.)

country comparison to the world: 204

total: 15,649 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 28 (2020 est.)

country comparison to the world: 173

number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020) (registered in Denmark)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 8 (registered in Denmark)

OY-H

15 (2021)

country comparison to the world: 146

10

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

5

note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

note: although there are short roads in towns, there are no roads between towns; inter-urban transport is either by sea or by air

total: 6

by type: other 6 (2022)

country comparison to the world: 164

major seaport(s): Sisimiut

no regular military forces

the Danish military’s Joint Arctic Command in Nuuk is responsible for coordinating Denmark's defense of Greenland

managed dispute between Canada and Denmark over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Canada's Ellesmere Island and Greenland; Denmark (Greenland) and Norway have made submissions to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) and Russia is collecting additional data to augment its 2001 CLCS submission