Map of Greenland | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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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.


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

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area
Total: total:2,175,600 km²; land:383,600 km² (ice free)
Comparative: slightly more than three times the size of Texas

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 44,087 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone:200 nm; territorial sea:3 nm

Climate: Arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters

Terrain: Flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow, mountainous, barren, rocky coast; Lowest point:Atlantic Ocean 0 m; Highest point:Gunnbjorn 3,700 m

Elevation

Natural resources: Zinc; Lead; Iron ore; Coal; Molybdenum; Cryolite; Uranium; Fish

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

Irrigated land: 0 km²

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography
Note: Dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe; sparse population confined to small settlements along coast


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Population: 58,203 (July 1996 est.); 57,611 (July 1995 est.)
Growth rate: 1% (1996 est.); 1.05% (1995 est.)

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

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

Languages: Eskimo dialects, Danish

Religions: Evangelical Lutheran

Demographic profile

Age structure: 0-14 years:27% (male 7,871; female 7,723) (July 1996 est.); 27% (male 7,881; female 7,664) (July 1995 est.); 15-64 years:68% (male 21,755; female 17,961) (July 1996 est.); 68% (male 21,580; female 17,761) (July 1995 est.); 65 years and over:5% (male 1,307; female 1,586) (July 1996 est.) 5% (male 1,225; female 1,500) (July 1995 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 1% (1996 est.); 1.05% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 17.06 births/1000 population (1996 est.); 17.7 births/1000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 7.11 deaths/1000 population (1996 est.); 7.2 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1996 est.); 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1995 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: NA; Natural hazards:continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island
International agreements: NA

Air pollutants

Sex ratio: at birth:1 male(s)/female; under 15 years:1.02 male(s)/female; 15-64 years:1.21 male(s)/female; 65 years and over:0.82 male(s)/female; all ages:1.13 male(s)/female (1996 est.) Infant Mortality Rate:23.8 deaths/1000 live births (1996 est.); 25.1 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate

Life expectancy at birth: total population:86.24 years (1996 est.), 67.65 years (1995 est.); male:63,97 years (1996 est.), 63.33 years (1995 est.); female:72.53 years (1996 est.), 71.98 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.22 children born/woman (1996 est.); 2.25 children born/woman (1995 est.)

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: definition:NA

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name: conventional long form: none; conventional short form: Greenland; local long form: none; local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat

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

Capital: Nuuk (Godthåb)

Administrative divisions: 3 municipalities (kommuner, singular_kommun); Nordgrønland, Ostgrønland, Vestgrønland

Dependent areas

Independence: None (part of the Danish realm; self-governing overseas administrative division)

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

Constitution: 5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)

Legal system: Danish

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state:Queen MARGRETHE II (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Steen SPORE (since NA 1993); head of government:Home Rule Chairman Lars Emil JOHANSEN (since 15 March 1991); cabinet:Landsstyre; formed from the Landsting on basis of strength of parties

Legislative branch: Unicameral Parliament (Landsting):Elections last held on 4 March 1995 (next to be held 5 March 1999); results_Siumut 38.5%, Inuit Ataqatigiit 20.3%, Atassut Party 29.7%; seats_(31 total) Siumut 12, Atassut Party 10, Inuit Ataqatigiit 6, conservative splinter grouping 2, independent 1 Danish Folketing:Last held on 21 September 1994 (next to be held by September 1998); Greenland elects two representatives to the Folketing; results_percent of vote by party NA; seats_(2 total) Liberals 1, Social Democrats 1; note_Greenlandic representatives are affiliated with Danish political parties

Judicial branch: High Court (Landsret)

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation

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


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Economy overview: Greenland's economic situation at present is difficult. Unemployment is increasing, and prospects for economic growth in the immediate future are dim. Following the closing of the Black Angel lead and zinc mine in 1989, Greenland became almost completely dependent on fishing and fish processing, the sector accounting for 95% of exports. Prospects for fisheries are not bright, as the important shrimp catches will at best stabilize and cod catches have dropped. Resumption of mining and hydrocarbon activities is not around the corner, thus leaving only tourism with some potential for the near future. The public sector, i.e., the central government and its commercial entities and the municipalities, plays a dominant role in Greenland, accounting for about two-thirds of total employment. About half the government's revenues come from grants from the Danish Government, an important supplement of the National Product.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: NA

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity_ $15,500 (1995 est.)

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); Lead and zinc mining; Handicrafts; Some small shipyards; Potential for platinum and gold mining

Industrial production growth rate: Growth rate NA

Labor force: 22,800
Note: largely engaged in fishing, hunting, sheepbreeding

Unemployment rate: 6.6% (1993 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues:$667 million; expenditures:$635 million, including capital expenditures of $103.8 million (1993 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: Calendar year

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: total value. $330.5 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
Commodities: Fish and fish products 95%
Partners: Denmark 79%; Benelux 9%; Germany 5%

Imports: total value:$369.6 million (c.i.f., 1993 est.)
Commodities: Manufactured goods 28%; Machinery and transport equipment 24%; Food and live animals 12.4%; Petroleum products 12%
Partners: Denmark 65%; Norway 8.8%; U.S. 4.6%; Germany 3.8%; Japan 3.8%; Sweden 2.4%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $297.1 million (1993)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Danish kroner (DKr) per US$1_5.652 (January 1996), 5.602 (1995), 6.361 (1994), 6.484 (1993), 6.036 (1992), 6.396 (1991), 6.189 (1990)


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Electricity
Capacity: 84,000 kW
Production: 210 million kWh
Consumption per capita: 3,361 kWh (1993)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system: 17,900 telephones (1984 est.); adequate domestic and international service provided by cables and microwave radio relay; Local:NA; Intercity:microwave radio relay; international:2 coaxial submarine cables; 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 8
With paved runways: over 3,047 m :1; 2,438 to 3,047 m:1; 1,524 to 2,437 m:1; 914 to 1,523 m:1; under 914 m:1; 1,524 to 2,437 m:1; 914 to 1,523 m:2 (1995 est.)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine: None

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs