Introduction
Background
Greenland, the world's largest island, is about 80% ice-capped. Vikings reached the island in the 10th century from Iceland; Danish colonization began in the 18th century, and Greenland became an integral part of the Danish Realm 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 Overseas Countries and Territories Association of the EU. 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 when the Act on Greenland Self-Government was signed into law in June 2009. Denmark, however, continues to exercise control over several policy areas on behalf of Greenland, including foreign affairs, security, and financial policy in consultation with Greenland's Self-Rule Government.
Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.
Geography
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 references
Arctic Region
Area
total: 2,166,086 sq km
land: 2,166,086 sq km (approximately 1,710,000 sq km ice-covered)
comparison ranking: total 13
Area - comparative
slightly more than three times the size of Texas
Land boundaries
total: 0 km
Coastline
44,087 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 3 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line
exclusive fishing zone: 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
highest point: Gunnbjorn Fjeld 3,694 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
mean elevation: 1,792 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
agricultural land: 0.6% (2018 est.)
arable land: 0% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 0.6% (2018 est.)
forest: 0% (2018 est.)
other: 99.4% (2018 est.)
Population distribution
settlement concentrated on the southwest shoreline, with limited settlements scattered along the remaining coast; interior is uninhabited
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 sheet after that of Antarctica covering an area of 1.71 million sq km (660,000 sq mi) or about 79% of the island, and containing 2.85 million cu km (684 thousand cu mi) of ice (this is almost 7% of all of the world's fresh water); if all this ice were converted to liquid water, one estimate is that it would be sufficient to raise the height of the world's oceans by 7.2 m (24 ft)
People and Society
Nationality
noun: Greenlander(s)
adjective: Greenlandic
Ethnic groups
Greenlandic 89.1%, Danish 7.5%, other Nordic peoples 0.9%, and other 2.5% (2022 est.)
note: data represent population by country of birth
Languages
Greenlandic (West Greenlandic or Kalaallisut is the official language), Danish, English
Religions
Evangelical Lutheran, traditional Inuit spiritual beliefs
Age structure
0-14 years: 20.46% (male 5,992/female 5,827)
15-64 years: 67.66% (male 20,271/female 18,820)
65 years and over: 11.89% (2023 est.) (male 3,641/female 3,226)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 43.6
youth dependency ratio: 30
elderly dependency ratio: 13.6
potential support ratio: 7.4 (2021)
Population distribution
settlement concentrated on the southwest shoreline, with limited settlements scattered along the remaining coast; interior is uninhabited
Urbanization
urban population: 87.9% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.41% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
18,000 NUUK (capital) (2018)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/female
total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 8.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
male: 10.1 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7 deaths/1,000 live births
comparison ranking: total 143
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 74.3 years (2023 est.)
male: 71.6 years
female: 77.1 years
comparison ranking: total population 140
Gross reproduction rate
0.92 (2023 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved: urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
Physicians density
1.87 physicians/1,000 population (2016)
Hospital bed density
14 beds/1,000 population (2016)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved: urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
39.4% (2023 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100% (2015)
Environment
Environment - current issues
especially vulnerable to climate change and disruption of the Arctic environment; preservation of the Inuit traditional way of life, including whaling and seal hunting
Climate
arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters
Land use
agricultural land: 0.6% (2018 est.)
arable land: 0% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 0.6% (2018 est.)
forest: 0% (2018 est.)
other: 99.4% (2018 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 87.9% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.41% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Air pollutants
carbon dioxide emissions: 0.51 megatons (2016 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 50,000 tons (2010 est.)
Government
Country name
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Greenland
local long form: none
local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat
etymology: named by Norwegian adventurer Erik THORVALDSSON (Erik the Red) in A.D. 985 in order to entice settlers to the island
Government type
parliamentary democracy (Parliament of Greenland or Inatsisartut)
Dependency status
part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1979
Capital
name: Nuuk (Godthaab)
geographic coordinates: 64 11 N, 51 45 W
time difference: UTC-2 (3 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
time zone note: Greenland has four time zones
etymology: "nuuk" is the Inuit word for "cape" and refers to the city's position at the end of the Nuup Kangerlua fjord
Administrative divisions
5 municipalities (kommuner, singular kommune); Avannaata, Kujalleq, Qeqertalik, Qeqqata, Sermersooq
note: Northeast Greenland National Park (Kalaallit Nunaanni Nuna Eqqissisimatitaq) and the Thule Air Base in Pituffik (in northwest Greenland) are two unincorporated areas; the national park's 972,000 sq km - about 46% of the island - makes it the largest national park in the world and also the most northerly
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
National Day, June 21; note - marks the summer solstice and the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere
Constitution
history: previous 1953 (Greenland established as a constituency in the Danish constitution), 1979 (Greenland Home Rule Act); latest 21 June 2009 (Greenland Self-Government Act)
Legal system
the laws of Denmark apply where applicable and Greenlandic law applies to other areas
Citizenship
see Denmark
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Mikaela ENGELL (since April 2011)
head of government: Premier Mute B. EGEDE (since 23 April 2021)
cabinet: Self-rule Government (Naalakkersuisut) elected by the Parliament (Inatsisartut)
elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by the monarch; premier indirectly elected by Parliament for a 4-year term
election results:
2021: Mute B. EGEDE elected premier; Parliament vote - Mute B. EGEDE (Inuit Ataqatigiit) unanimous
2014: Kim KIELSEN elected premier; Parliament vote - Kim KIELSEN (S) 27.2%, Sara OLSVIG (IA) 25.5%, Randi Vestergaard EVALDSEN (D) 19.5%, other 27.8%
Legislative branch
description: unicameral Parliament or Inatsisartut (31 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote - by the d'Hondt method - to serve 4-year terms)
Greenland elects 2 members to the Danish Parliament to serve 4-year terms
elections: Greenland Parliament - last held on 6 April 2021 (next to be held in 2025)
Greenland members to Danish Parliament - last held on 5 June 2019 (next to be held by 4 June 2023)
election results: Greenland Parliament - percent of vote by party - IA 38.7%, S 32.2%, N 12.9%, D 9.7%, A 6.5%; seats by party - IA 12, S 10, N 4, D 3, A 2; composition - men 21, women 10, percent of women 32.2%
Greenland members in Danish Parliament - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - IA 1, S 1; composition - 2 women
Judicial branch
highest court(s): High Court of Greenland (consists of the presiding professional judge and 2 lay assessors); note - appeals beyond the High Court of Greenland can be heard by the Supreme Court (in Copenhagen)
judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the monarch upon the recommendation of the Judicial Appointments Council, a 6-member independent body of judges and lawyers; judges appointed for life with retirement at age 70
subordinate courts: Court of Greenland; 18 district or magistrates' courts
Political parties and leaders
Democrats Party (Demokraatit) or D [Jens Frederik NIELSEN]
Fellowship Party (Atassut) or A [Aqqalu JERIMIASSEN]
Forward Party (Siumut) or S [Erik JENSEN]
Inuit Community (Inuit Ataqatigiit) or IA [Mute Bourup EGEDE]
Signpost Party (Naleraq) or N [Pele BROBERG] (formerly Partii Naleraq)
International organization participation
Arctic Council, ICC, NC, NIB, UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Kenneth HOEGH, Head of Representation; note - Greenland also has offices in the Danish consulates in Chicago and New York
chancery: Greenland Representation
3200 Whitehaven Street, NW
Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 234-4300
FAX: +1 (202) 328-1470
email address and website:
washington@nanoq.gl
All Greenlandic Representations | Grønlands Repræsentation (grl-rep.dk);
https://naalakkersuisut.gl/en/Naalakkersuisut/Groenlands-repraesentation-Washington
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Consul Monica BLAND (since July 2023)
embassy: Aalisartut Aqqutaa 47
Nuuk 3900
Greenland
telephone: (+299) 384100
email address and website:
https://dk.usembassy.gov/embassy-consulate/nuuk/
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 symbol(s)
polar bear; national colors: red, white
National anthem
name: "Nunarput utoqqarsuanngoravit" (Our Country, Who's Become So Old also translated as You Our Ancient Land)
lyrics/music: Henrik LUND/Jonathan PETERSEN
note: adopted 1916; the government also recognizes "Nuna asiilasooq" as a secondary anthem
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites: 3 (2 cultural, 1 natural); note - excerpted from the Denmark entry
selected World Heritage Site locales: Ilulissat Icefjord (n); Kujataa, Norse and Inuit Farming (c); Aasivissuit–Nipisat, Inuit Hunting Ground (c)
Economy
Economic overview
large self-governing Danish territorial economy; preferential EU market access; high-income economy; dependent on Danish financial support, even for whaling and sealing industries; growing tourism; hydropower-fueled but environmentally fragile economy
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$2.413 billion (2015 est.)
$2.24 billion (2014 est.)
$2.203 billion (2013 est.)
note: data are in 2015 US dollars
comparison ranking: 194
GDP (official exchange rate)
$2.221 billion (2015 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
0.3% (January 2017 est.)
1.2% (January 2016 est.)
comparison ranking: 210
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 15.9% (2015 est.)
industry: 10.1% (2015 est.)
services: 73.9% (2015)
comparison rankings: services 51; industry 205; agriculture 61
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption: 68.1% (2015 est.)
government consumption: 28% (2015 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 14.3% (2015 est.)
investment in inventories: -13.9% (2015 est.)
exports of goods and services: 18.2% (2015 est.)
imports of goods and services: -28.6% (2015 est.)
Agricultural products
sheep, cattle, reindeer, fish, shellfish
Industries
fish processing (mainly shrimp and Greenland halibut), anorthosite and ruby mining, handicrafts, hides and skins, small shipyards
Population below poverty line
16.2% (2015 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Budget
revenues: $1.719 billion (2016 est.)
expenditures: $1.594 billion (2016 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Exports - partners
Denmark 55%, China 22%, Japan 6% (2019)
Exports - commodities
shrimp, halibut, fish fillets, crabs, cod, mackerel (2021)
Imports - partners
Denmark 51%, Spain 23%, Sweden 12%, Iceland 7% (2019)
Imports - commodities
fishing ships, refined petroleum, construction vehicles, crustaceans, delivery trucks (2019)
Exchange rates
Danish kroner (DKK) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
6.287 (2021 est.)
6.542 (2020 est.)
6.669 (2019 est.)
6.315 (2018 est.)
6.603 (2017 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 100% (2021)
Electricity
installed generating capacity: 187,000 kW (2020 est.)
consumption: 481.7 million kWh (2019 est.)
exports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)
imports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 17 million kWh (2019 est.)
comparison rankings: imports 188; exports 182; installed generating capacity 173; transmission/distribution losses 187; consumption 172
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels: 15.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
solar: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
wind: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
hydroelectricity: 84.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Coal
production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
consumption: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
imports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
proven reserves: 183 million metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum
total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2021 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 4,000 bbl/day (2019 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas
production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
consumption: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
605,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 605,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: total emissions 187
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 6,352 (2020 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 200
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 66,605 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 118 (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 201
Telecommunication systems
general assessment: adequate domestic and international service provided by satellite, cables, and microwave radio relay; the fundamental telecommunications infrastructure consists of a digital radio link from Nanortalik in south Greenland to Uummannaq in north Greenland; satellites cover north and east Greenland for domestic and foreign telecommunications; a marine cable connects south and west Greenland to the rest of the world, extending from Nuuk and Qaqortoq to Canada and Iceland; a contract has been awarded to build a 5G network in Greenland, initially covering three towns, with 10 towns, including Greenland's capital Nuuk to follow (2022)
domestic: nearly 11 per 100 for fixed-line subscriptions and 118 per 100 for mobile-cellular (2021)
international: country code - 299; landing points for Greenland Connect, Greenland Connect North, Nunavut Undersea Fiber System submarine cables to Greenland, Iceland, and Canada; satellite earth stations - 15 (12 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 2 Americom GE-2 (all Atlantic Ocean)) (2019)
Broadcast media
the Greenland Broadcasting Company provides public radio and TV services throughout the island with a broadcast station and a series of repeaters; a few private local TV and radio stations; Danish public radio rebroadcasts are available (2019)
Internet users
total: 38,920 (2021 est.)
percent of population: 69.5% (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total 204
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 15,649 (2020 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 28 (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: total 173
Transportation
National air transport system
number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020) (registered in Denmark)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 8 (registered in Denmark)
Airports - with paved runways
10
note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)
Airports - with unpaved runways
5
note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control
Roadways
note: although there are short roads in towns, there are no roads between towns; inter-urban transport is either by sea or by air
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s): Sisimiut
Military and Security
Military and security forces
no regular military forces
Military - note
the Danish military’s Joint Arctic Command in Nuuk is responsible for coordinating Denmark's defense of Greenland
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
in 2022, Canada and Denmark signed an agreement resolving a managed dispute over uninhabited Tartupaluk/Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Canada's Ellesmere Island and Greenland