Greenland

Greenland Background

The world's largest island, Greenland 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 European Union) with Denmark in 1973 but withdrew in 1985 over a dispute over 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.

Greenland Information

• Population: 56,384 (July 2004 est.)
• Nationality: noun: Greenlander(s) adjective: Greenlandic
• Location:: Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada
• Religions:: Evangelical Lutheran
• Ethnic Groups:: Greenlander 88% (Inuit and Greenland-born whites), Danish and others 12% (January 2000)
• Land Boundaries:: 0 km
• 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.)
• Coast Line: 44,087 km
• Climate: arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters
• Terrain: flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow, mountainous, barren, rocky coast
• Maritime Claims: 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
• Land Use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)
• Environmental Issues: protection of the arctic environment; preservation of the Inuit traditional way of life, including whaling and seal hunting
• Natural Resources: coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, molybdenum, gold, platinum, uranium, fish, seals, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas
• Highways: total: NA (there are no roads between towns) (2003)
• Railways:
• Ports & Harbours: Aasiaat (Egedesminde), Ilulissat (Jakobshavn), Kangerlussuaq, Nanortalik, Narsarsuaq, Nuuk (Godthab), Qaqortoq (Julianehab), Sisimiut (Holsteinsborg), Tasiilaq
• Airports: 14 (2003 est.)