Background Notes - Greenland
Background:
Definition Field Listing
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.
Geography Greenland Top of Page
Location:
Definition Field Listing
Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field Listing
72 00 N, 40 00 W
Map references:
Definition Field Listing
Arctic Region
Area:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
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:
Definition Field Listing
slightly more than three times the size of Texas
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing
0 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing
44,087 km
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line
continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line
Climate:
Definition Field Listing
arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing
flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow, mountainous, barren, rocky coast
Elevation extremes:
Definition Field Listing
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Gunnbjorn 3,700 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, molybdenum, diamonds, gold, platinum, niobium, tantalite, uranium, fish, seals, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas
Land use:
Definition Field Listing
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing
continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing
protection of the arctic environment; preservation of the Inuit traditional way of life, including whaling and seal hunting
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing
dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe; sparse population confined to small settlements along coast, but close to one-quarter of the population lives in the capital, Nuuk; world's second largest ice cap
People Greenland Top of Page
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
56,344 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
0-14 years: 24% (male 6,926/female 6,597)
15-64 years: 69.1% (male 20,901/female 18,012)
65 years and over: 6.9% (male 1,873/female 2,035) (2007 est.)
Median age:
Definition Field Listing
total: 34.1 years
male: 35.4 years
female: 32.3 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
-0.03% (2007 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
16.01 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
7.93 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing
-8.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.16 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female
total population: 1.115 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 14.98 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 16.32 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 13.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: 70.23 years
male: 66.65 years
female: 73.9 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.4 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
100 (1999)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing
noun: Greenlander(s)
adjective: Greenlandic
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
Greenlander 88% (Inuit and Greenland-born whites), Danish and others 12% (2000)
Religions:
Definition Field Listing
Evangelical Lutheran
Languages:
Definition Field Listing
Greenlandic (East Inuit), Danish, English
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100% (2001 est.)
Government Greenland Top of Page
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Greenland
local long form: none
local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat
Dependency status:
Definition Field Listing
part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1979
Government type:
Definition Field Listing
parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy
Capital:
Definition Field Listing
name: Nuuk (Godthab)
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
note: Greenland is divided into four time zones
Administrative divisions:
Definition Field Listing
3 districts (landsdele); Avannaa (Nordgronland), Tunu (Ostgronland), Kitaa (Vestgronland)
note: there are 18 municipalities in Greenland
Independence:
Definition Field Listing
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 holiday:
Definition Field Listing
June 21 (longest day)
Constitution:
Definition Field Listing
5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing
the laws of Denmark, where applicable, apply
Suffrage:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing
chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Soren MOLLER (since April 2005)
head of government: Prime Minister Hans ENOKSEN (since 14 December 2002)
cabinet: Home Rule Government is elected by the parliament (Landstinget) on the basis of the strength of parties
elections: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by the monarch; prime minister is elected by parliament (usually the leader of the majority party);
election results: Hans ENOKSEN reelected prime minister
note: government coalition - Siumut and Inuit Ataqatigiit
Legislative branch:
Definition Field Listing
unicameral Parliament or Landstinget (31 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held on 15 November 2005 (next to be held by December 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - Siumut 30.7%, Demokratiit 22.8%, IA 22.6%, Atassut Party 19.1%; Katusseqatigiit 4.1%, other 0.7%; seats by party - Siumut 10, Demokratiit 7, IA 7, Atassut 6, Katusseqatigiit 1
note: two representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament or Folketing on 8 February 2005 (next to be held in February 2009); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Siumut 1, Inuit Ataqatigiit 1
Judicial branch:
Definition Field Listing
High Court or Landsret (appeals can be made to the Ostre Landsret or Eastern Division of the High Court or Supreme Court in Copenhagen)
Political parties and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
Atassut Party (Solidarity) [Finn KARLSEN] (a conservative party favoring continuing close relations with Denmark); Demokratiit [Per BERTHELSEN]; Inuit Ataqatigiit or IA (Eskimo Brotherhood) [Josef MOTZFELDT] (a leftist party favoring complete independence from Denmark rather than home rule); Kattusseqatigiit (Candidate List) (an independent right-of-center party with no official platform); Siumut (Forward Party) [Hans ENOKSEN] (a social democratic party advocating more distinct Greenlandic identity and greater autonomy from Denmark)
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
NA
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing
Arctic Council, NC, NIB, UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field Listing
none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing
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 Greenland Top of Page
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
The economy remains critically dependent on exports of fish and substantial support 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 announced plans to begin summer-season direct flights to the U.S. east coast in May 2007 potentially opening a major new tourism market.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$1.1 billion (2001 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
Definition Field Listing
$1.7 billion (2005)
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$20,000 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
32,120 (2004)
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
9.3% (2005 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Definition Field Listing
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1% (2005 est.)
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $1.36 billion
expenditures: $1.27 billion; including capital expenditures of $83 million (2005)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
forage crops, garden and greenhouse vegetables; sheep, reindeer; fish
Industries:
Definition Field Listing
fish processing (mainly shrimp and Greenland halibut); gold, niobium, tantalite, uranium, iron and diamond mining; handicrafts, hides and skins, small shipyards
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA%
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
295 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
274.4 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2004)
Oil - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3,860 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA bbl/day
Oil - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA bbl/day
Oil - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 bbl
Natural gas - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2004 est.)
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$404 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
fish and fish products 94% (prawns 63%)
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Denmark 67.8%, Japan 11.9%, China 5.5% (2006)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$599 million c.i.f. (2005 est.)
Imports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, petroleum products
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Denmark 70%, Sweden 16.3%, Norway 3.7% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
Definition Field Listing
$512 million; note - subsidy from Denmark (2005)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$25 million (1999)
Currency (code):
Definition Field Listing
Danish krone (DKK)
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
Danish kroner per US dollar - 5.9468 (2006), 5.9969 (2005), 5.9911 (2004), 6.5877 (2003), 7.8947 (2002)
Fiscal year:
Definition Field Listing
calendar year
Communications Greenland Top of Page
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
25,300 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
32,200 (2004)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
general assessment: adequate domestic and international service provided by satellite, cables and microwave radio relay; totally digitalized in 1995
domestic: microwave radio relay and satellite
international: country code - 299; satellite earth stations - 12 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 2 Americom GE-2 (all Atlantic Ocean) (2000)
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
AM 5, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
1 (plus some local low-power stations, and 3 Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS) stations (1997)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.gl
Internet hosts:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
15,329 (2007)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
38,000 (2005)
Transportation Greenland Top of Page
Airports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
14 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 9
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 5 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Roadways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: NA
note: while there are short roads in towns, there are no roads between towns; inter-town transport takes place either by sea or air (2005)
Merchant marine:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,422 GRT/2,340 DWT
by type: cargo 1, passenger 1
registered in other countries: 1 (Denmark 1) (2007)
Ports and terminals:
Definition Field Listing
Sisimiut
Military Greenland Top of Page
Manpower available for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 18-49: 14,653 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 18-49: 10,199 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:
Definition Field Listing
males age 18-49: 440 (2005 est.)
Military - note:
Definition Field Listing
defense is the responsibility of Denmark
Transnational Issues Greenland Top of Page
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
managed dispute between Canada and Denmark over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Canada's Ellesmere Island and Greenland
Comments: 0
Votes:32