Profile
Background and figures as recorded in the CIA World Factbook.
Greenland, the world's largest island, is about 80% ice capped. The Inuit came to Greenland from North America in a series of migrations that stretched from 2500 BC to the11th century. Vikings reached the island in the 10th century from Iceland; Danish colonization began in the 18th century, and Greenland became part of the Kingdom 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 remains a member of the EU's Overseas Countries and Territories Association.
- Capital
- Nuuk
- Government
- parliamentary democracy (Parliament of Greenland or Inatsisartut)
- Population
- 57,751
- Area
- 2,166,086 sq km
- Location
- Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada
- Climate
- arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters
- Natural resources
- coal; iron ore; lead; zinc; molybdenum; diamonds…
- Languages
- Greenlandic; Danish; English
- Religions
- Evangelical Lutheran; traditional Inuit spiritual beliefs
- Independence
- none (extensive self-rule as part of the Kingdom of Denmark)
- Administrative divisions
- 5 municipalities (kommuner, singular - kommune); Avannaata, Kujalleq, Qeqertalik, Qeqqata, Sermersooq
- Currency
- Danish kroner (DKK)
- Export partners
- Denmark 50%; China 23%; UK 5%; Japan 5%…
- Import partners
- Denmark 58%; Sweden 19%; Spain 8%; Iceland 7%…
Source: CIA World Factbook — a work of the US government, in the public domain