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.

Geographic coordinates: 72 00 N, 40 00 W

Map reference: Arctic Region

Area
Total: total:2,175,600 km²; land:2,175,600 km² (341,600 km² ice-free, 1,834,000 km² ice-covered) (est.)
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

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

Natural resources: zinc, lead, iron ore, coal, molybdenum, gold, platinum, uranium, fish, seals, whales

Land use: arable land:0%; permanent crops:0%; permanent pastures:1%; forests and woodland:0%; other:99% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA km²

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

Population: 58,768 (July 1997 est.)
Growth rate: 0.94% (1997 est.)

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

Ethnic groups: Greenlander 87% (Eskimos and Greenland-born whites), Danish and others 13%

Languages: Eskimo dialects, Danish, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect)

Religions: Evangelical Lutheran

Age structure: 0-14 years:27% (male 7,843; female 7,711); 15-64 years:68% (male 21,931; female 18,237); 65 years and over:5% (male 1,393; female 1,653) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.94% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 16.39 births/1000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 6.99 deaths/1000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1997 est.)

Environment
Current issues: protection of the arctic environment; preservation of their traditional way of life, including whaling; note - Greenland participates actively in Inuit Circumpolar Conference (ICC)

Sex ratio: at birth:1 male(s)/female; under 15 years:1.02 male(s)/female; 15-64 years:1.2 male(s)/female; 65 years and over:0.84 male(s)/female; total population:1.13 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 22.6 deaths/1000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population:68.84 years; male:64.62 years; female:73.08 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.19 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Literacy: NA; note:similar to Denmark proper

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

Government type: NA

Capital: Nuuk (Godthab)

Administrative divisions: 3 districts (landsdele); Nordgronland, Ostgronland, Vestgronland

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state:Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Steen SPORE (since NA 1993); head of government:Prime Minister Gunnar MARTENS (since NA 1995); cabinet:Landsstyre is formed from the Parliament on the basis of the strength of parties; elections:the queen is a constitutional monarch; high commissioner appointed by the queen; prime minister is elected by the Parliament; election last held NA 1991 (next to be held NA); election results:Gunnar MARTENS elected prime minister; percent of parliamentary vote - NA

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Landsting (31 seats; members are elected on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms); elections:last held on 4 March 1995 (next to be held by 5 March 1999); election results:percent of vote by party - Siumut 38.4%, Inuit Ataqatigiit 20.3%, Atassut Party 30.1%; seats by party - Siumut 12, Atassut Party 10, Inuit Ataqatigiit 6, conservative splinter grouping 2, independent 1; note:2 representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament or Folketing on 21 September 1994 (next to be held by NA September 1998); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Liberals 1, Social Democrats 1; Greenlandic representatives are affiliated with Danish political parties

Judicial branch: High Court or Landsret

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

Economy overview: Greenland suffered negative economic growth in the early 1990s, but since 1993 the economy has improved. Nonetheless, prospects for substantial economic growth in the near future are poor. The Greenland Home Rule Government (GHRG) has pursued a light fiscal policy since the late 1980s which has helped create surpluses in the public budget and low inflation. Since 1990, Greenland has registered a foreign trade deficit following the closure of the last remaining lead and zinc mine in 1989. Greenland today is critically dependent on fishing and fish exports; the shrimp fishery is by far the largest income earner. Despite resumption of several interesting hydrocarbon and minerals exploration activities, it will take several years before production can materialize. Tourism is the only sector offering any near term potential and even this is limited due to a short season and high costs. The public sector, including publicly owned enterprises and the municipalities, plays the dominant role in Greenland's economy. About half the government revenues come from grants from the Danish Government, an important supplement of GDP.

Real gdp growth rate: NA%

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

Agriculture products: forage crops, small garden vegetables; sheep, fish

Industries: fish processing (mainly shrimp), handicrafts, furs, small shipyards

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: total: 24,500 (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate: 10.5% (1995 est.)

Budget: revenues:$706 million; expenditures:$697 million, including capital expenditures of $N/A (1995)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports: total value:$363.4 million (f.o.b., 1995); commodities:fish and fish products 95%; partners:Denmark 89%, Japan 5%, UK 5%

Imports: total value:$421 million (c.i.f., 1995); commodities:machinery and transport equipment 25%, manufactured goods 18%, food and live animals 11%, petroleum products 6%; partners:Denmark 7.5%, Iceland 3.8%, Japan 3.3%, Norway 3.1%, US 2.4%, Germany 2.4%, Sweden 1.8%

Debt external: $243 million (1995)

Exchange rates: Danish kroner (DKr) per US$1 - 6.117 (January 1997), 5.799 (1996), 5.602 (1995), 6.361 (1994), 6.484 (1993), 6.036 (1992)

Electricity
Capacity: 92,500 kW
Production: 274.4 million kWh
Consumption per capita: 2,691 kWh (1994-95)

Telephones: 19,600 (1995 est.)

Telephone system: adequate domestic and international service provided by cables and microwave radio relay; totally digitalized in 1995; domestic:microwave radio relay; international:2 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Airports: 8 (1996 est.)
With paved runways: total:5; 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 (1996 est.)
With unpaved runways: total:3; 1,524 to 2,437 m:2; 914 to 1,523 m:1 (1996 est.)

Railways: 0 km

Merchant marine: total:1 short-sea passenger (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,162 GRT/610 DWT (1995 est.)

Disputes international: none