Map of Greenland | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide19891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023 | More stats

top of page


Background: The world's largest island about 84% ice-capped Greenland was granted self-government in 1978 by the Danish parliament. The law went into effect the following year.


top of page


Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area
Total: 2,175,600 km²; Land area: 341,700 km² (ice free); Comparative area: slightly more than three times the size of Texas

Land boundaries: none

Coastline: 44,087 km

Maritime claims: Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 3 nm; Disputes: Denmark has challenged Norway's maritime claims between; Greenland and Jan Mayen

Climate: arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters

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

Elevation

Natural resources: zinc, lead, iron ore, coal, molybdenum, cryolite, uranium, fish

Land use: arable land: 0%; permanent crops: 0%; meadows and pastures 1%; forest and woodland NEGL%; other 99%

Irrigated land

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography


top of page


Population: 57,407 (July 1992), growth rate 1.1% (1992)

Nationality: noun - Greenlander(s); adjective - Greenlandic

Ethnic groups: Greenlander (Eskimos and Greenland-born Caucasians) 86%, Danish 14%

Languages: Eskimo dialects, Danish

Religions: Evangelical Lutheran

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate

Birth rate: 19 births/1000 population (1992)

Death rate: 8 deaths/1000 population (1992)

Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1000 population (1992)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: sparse population confined to small settlements along coast; continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island; Note: dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 27 deaths/1000 live births (1992)

Life expectancy at birth: 63 years male, 69 years female (1992)

Total fertility rate: 2.2 children born/woman (1992)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: NA% (male NA%, female NA%)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


top of page


Country name

Government type: part of the Danish realm; self-governing overseas administrative division

Capital: Nuuk (Godthab)

Administrative divisions: 3 municipalities (kommuner, - singular - kommun); - Nordgronland, Ostgrnland, Vestgronland

Dependent areas

Independence: part of the Danish realm; self-governing overseas administrative division

National holiday: Birthday of the Queen, 16 April (1940)

Constitution: Danish

Legal system: Danish

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: universal at age 18; Danish Folketing: last held on 12 December 1990 (next to be held by; December 1994); Greenland elects two representatives to the Folketing; results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (2 total) Siumut 1, Atassut 1; Landsting: last held on 5 March 1991 (next to be held 5 March 1995); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (27 total) Siumut 11, Atassut; Party 8, Inuit Ataqatigiit 5, Center Party 2, Polar Party 1

Executive branch: Danish monarch, high commissioner, home rule chairman, prime minister, Cabinet (Landsstyre)

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (Landsting)

Judicial branch: High Court (Landsret)

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: NC; Diplomatic representation: none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Diplomatic representation

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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


top of page


Economy overview: Over the past 25 years, the economy has changed from one based on subsistence whaling, hunting, and fishing to one dependent on foreign trade. Fishing is still the most important industry, accounting for over 75% of exports and about 25% of the population's income. Maintenance of a social welfare system similar to Denmark's has given the public sector a dominant role in the economy. In 1990, the economy became critically dependent on shrimp exports and on an annual subsidy (now about $500 million) from the; Danish Government because cod exports dropped off and commercial mineral production stopped. As of 1992, the government also has taken control of the health sector from Denmark. The new Home Rule government installed in March 1991 has decided to end much of the central control of the economy and to open it wider to competitive forces.; GNP: purchasing power equivalent - $500 million, per capita $9,000; real growth rate 5% (1988)

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate

Real gdp per capita ppp

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: sector dominated by fishing and sheep raising; crops limited to forage and small garden vegetables; 1988 fish catch of 133,500 metric tons

Industries: fish processing (mainly shrimp), potential for platinum and gold mining, handicrafts, shipyards

Industrial production growth rate: growth rate NA%

Labor force: 22,800; largely engaged in fishing, hunting, sheep breeding; Organized labor: NA; Long-form name: none

Unemployment rate: 9% (1990 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues $381 million; expenditures $381 million, including capital expenditures of $36 million (1989)

Public debt

Taxes and other revenues

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Current account balance

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $435 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
Commodoties: fish and fish products 83%, metallic ores and concentrates 13%
Partners: Denmark 79%, Benelux 9%, Germany 5%

Imports: $420 million (c.i.f., 1990 est.)
Commodoties: manufactured goods 28%, machinery and transport equipment 24%, food and live animals 12.4%, petroleum and petroleum products 12%
Partners: Denmark 65%, Norway 8.8%, US 4.6%, Germany 3.8%, Japan 3.8%,; Sweden 2.4%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Danish kroner (DKr) per US$1 - 6.447 (March 1992), 6.396 (1991), 6.189 (1990), 7.310 (1989), 6.732 (1988), 6.840 (1987)


top of page


Electricity access

Electricity production: 84,000 kW capacity; 176 million kWh produced, 3,180 kWh per capita (1991)

Electricity consumption

Electricity exports

Electricity imports

Electricity installed generating capacity

Electricity transmission distribution losses

Electricity generation sources

Petroleum

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


top of page


Telephones fixed lines

Telephones mobile cellular

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet country code

Internet users

Broadband fixed subscriptions


top of page


Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 11 total, 8 usable; 5 with permanent-surface runways; none; with runways over 3,659 m; 2; with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 2; with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Airports with paved runways

Airports with unpaved runways

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine: 1 refrigerated cargo (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,021; GRT/1,778 DWT; note - operates under the registry of Denmark; Civil air: 2 major transport aircraft

Ports and terminals


top of page


Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs