Map of Greenland | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: 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. Greenland voted in favor of increased self-rule in November 2008 and acquired greater responsibility for internal affairs in June 2009. Denmark however continues to exercise control of Greenland's foreign affairs security and financial policy in consultation with Greenland's Home Rule Government.


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

Geographic coordinates: 72 00 N 40 00 W

Map reference: North America

Area
Total: 2,166,086 km²
Rank: 12
Land: 2,166,086 km² (410,449 km² ice-free 1,755,637 km² ice-covered)
Comparative: slightly more than three times the size of Texas

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 44,087 km

Maritime claims
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: arctic to subarctic; cool summers cold winters

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

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Gunnbjorn Fjeld 3,700 m

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

Land use
Arable land: 0%
Permanent crops: 0%
Other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land: NA

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island

Geography
Note: 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 cap


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Population: 57,670 (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 205
Growth rate: 0.05% (2011 est.)
Growth rate rank: 188
Below poverty line: 9.2% (2007 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Greenlander
Adjective: Greenlandic

Ethnic groups: Inuit 89% Danish and other 11% (2009)

Languages: Greenlandic (East Inuit) (official) Danish (official) English

Religions: Evangelical Lutheran traditional Inuit spiritual beliefs

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 22.3%
15-64 years: 70.2% (male 21,599/female 18,861)
65 years and over: 7.6% (male 2,269/female 2,097) (2011 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 33.6 years
Male: 35 years
Female: 32.1 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.05% (2011 est.)
Rank: 188

Birth rate: 14.6 births/1000 population (2011 est.)
Rank: 139

Death rate: 8.12 deaths/1000 population (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 99

Net migration rate: -5.98 migrant(s)/1000 population (2011 est.)
Rank: 198

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 84% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 0.3% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: protection of the arctic environment; preservation of the Inuit traditional way of life including whaling and seal hunting

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.051 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.15 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.05 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 10.05 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 148
Male: 11.47 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 8.55 deaths/1000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 70.96 years
Rank: 141
Male: 68.33 years
Female: 73.74 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.13 children born/woman (2011 est.)
Rank: 113

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: 100 (1999)
People living with hivaids rank: 161
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: NA

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 100%
Male: 100%
Female: 100% (2001 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education: NA

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: parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy

Capital
Name: Nuuk
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: 4 municipalities (kommuner singular kommune); Kujalleq Qaasuitsup Qeqqata Sermersooq
Note: the North and East Greenland National Park (Avannaarsuani Tunumilu Nuna Allanngutsaaliugaq) and the Thule Air Base in Pituffik (in northwest Greenland) are two unincorporated areas; the national park's 972,000 km² - about 46% of the island - make it the largest national park in the world and also the most northerly

Dependent areas

Independence: 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: June 21 (longest day)

Constitution: (November 2008) Act on Greenland Self Government

Legal system: the laws of Denmark where applicable apply

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark represented by High Commissioner Soeren Hald MOELLER (since April 2005)
Head of government: Prime Minister Kuupik KLEIST (since 12 June 2009)
Cabinet: Home Rule Government elected by the Parliament (Landsting) on the basis of the strength of parties
Elections: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by the monarch; prime minister elected by parliament (usually the leader of the majority party)
Election results: Kuupik KLEIST elected prime minister

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Inatsisartut (Landsting) (31 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
Elections: last held on 2 June 2009 (next to be held by 2014)
Election results: percent of vote by party - IA 43.7% Siumut 26.5% Demokratiit 12.7% Atassut 10.9%; Kattusseqatigiit 3.8% other 2.4%; seats by party - IA 14 Siumut 9 Demokraatiit 4 Atassut 3 Kattusseqatigiit 1
Note: two representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament or Folketing on 13 November 2007 (next to be held by November 2011); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Siumut 1 Inuit Ataqatigiit 1

Judicial branch: 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: Atassut Party (Solidarity) [Gerhardt PETERSEN] (a conservative party favoring continuing close relations with Denmark); Demokratiit [Jens B. FREDERIKSEN]; Inuit Ataqatigiit or IA (Inuit Community) [Kuupik KLEIST] (a leftist party favoring complete independence from Denmark rather than home rule); Kattusseqatigiit (Candidate List) [Anthon FREDERIKSEN] (an independent right-of-center party with no official platform); Siumut (Forward Party) [Alega HAMMOND] (a social democratic party advocating more distinct Greenlandic identity and greater autonomy from Denmark)

International organization participation: Arctic Council NC NIB UPU

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)
From the us: none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

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; 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

National symbols: polar bear

National anthem
Name: 'Nunarput utoqqarsuanngoravit'
Lyricsmusic: Henrik LUND/Jonathan PETERSEN
Note: adopted 1916; the government also recognizes 'Nuna asiilasooq' as a secondary anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: The economy remains critically dependent on exports of shrimp and fish and on a substantial subsidy - about $650 million in 2009 - from the Danish Government which supplies nearly 60% of government revenues. The public sector including publicly owned enterprises and the municipalities plays the dominant role in Greenland's economy. Greenland's GDP contracted about 2% in 2009 as a result of the global economic slowdown. Budget surpluses turned to deficits beginning in 2007 and unemployment has risen. During the last decade the Greenland Home Rule Government (GHRG) pursued conservative fiscal and monetary policies but public pressure has increased for better schools health care and retirement systems. The Greenlandic economy has benefited from increasing catches and exports of shrimp Greenland halibut and more recently crabs. Due to Greenland's continued dependence on exports of fish - which account for 82% of exports - the economy remains very sensitive to foreign developments. International consortia are increasingly active in exploring for hydrocarbon resources off Greenland's western coast and international studies indicate the potential for oil and gas fields in northern and northeastern Greenland. In May 2007 a US aluminum producer concluded a memorandum of understanding with the Greenland Home Rule Government to build an aluminum smelter and a power generation facility which takes advantage of Greenland's abundant hydropower potential. Within the area of mining olivine sand continues to be produced and gold production has resumed in south Greenland. Tourism also offers another avenue of economic growth for Greenland with increasing numbers of cruise lines now operating in Greenland's western and southern waters during the peak summer tourism season.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $2.03 billion (2008 est.)
Rank: 186

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 206

Real gdp per capita: $35,900 (2007 est.)
Rank: 30

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 4.9%
Industry: 31.9%
Services: 63.2% (2007 est.)

Agriculture products: forage crops garden and greenhouse vegetables; sheep reindeer; fish

Industries: 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: NA%

Labor force: 28,240 (January 2009)
Rank: 204
By occupation agriculture: 4.9%
By occupation industry: 31.9%
By occupation services: 63.2% (2007 est.)

Unemployment rate: 7.3% (2006 est.)
Rank: 65

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 9.2% (2007 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $1.47 billion
Expenditures: $1.51 billion (2007)
Surplus or deficit: -2% of GDP (2007)
Surplus or deficit rank: 75

Taxes and other revenues: 72.4% of GDP (2007)
Rank: 4

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 1% (2005 est.)
Rank: 198

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: $428 million (2007)
Rank: 169
Commodities: fish and fish products 72% metals 10% (2008)
Partners: Denmark 63.7% Japan 12.1% China 8.5% (2010)

Imports: $669 million (2007)
Rank: 176
Commodities: machinery and transport equipment manufactured goods food petroleum products
Partners: Denmark 59.5% Sweden 20.8% UK 6.6% (2010)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $25 million (1999)
Rank: 191

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Production: 310.3 million kWh (2008 est.)
Production rank: 167
Consumption: 288.6 million kWh (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 171
Exports: 0 kWh (2009 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2009 est.)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Production rank: 190
Consumption: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Consumption rank: 181
Exports: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Exports rank: 106
Imports: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Imports rank: 128
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2011 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 143

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 21,800 (2010)
Main lines in use rank: 187
Mobile cellular: 57,300 (2010)
Mobile cellular rank: 197

Telephone system
General assessment: adequate domestic and international service provided by satellite cables and microwave radio relay; totally digital since 1995
Domestic: microwave radio relay and satellite
International: country code - 299; satellite earth stations - 15 (12 Intelsat 1 Eutelsat 2 Americom GE-2 (all Atlantic Ocean)) (2000)

Broadcast media: the Greenland Broadcasting Company provides public radio and television services throughout the island with a broadcast station and a series of repeaters; a few private local television and radio stations broadcast; Danish public radio rebroadcasts are available (2007)

Internet
Country code: .gl
Hosts: 15,668 (2010)
Hosts rank: 116
Users: 36,000 (2009)
Users rank: 177

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: 15 (2010)
Rank: 148
With paved runways total: 10
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 6 (2010)
With unpaved runways total: 5
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 2 (2010)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Note: although there are short roads in towns there are no roads between towns; inter-urban transport takes place either by sea or air

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 1
Rank: 155
By type: passenger 1 (2010)

Ports and terminals: Sisimiut


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Disputes international: 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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs