Greenland

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. The Danish parliament granted Greenland home rule in 1979; the law went into effect the following year. Greenland voted in favor of self-government in 2008 and acquired greater responsibility for internal affairs when the Act on Greenland Self-Government was signed into law in 2009. The Kingdom of 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.

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

72 00 N, 40 00 W

Arctic Region

slightly more than three times the size of Texas

44,087 km

arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters

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

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

NA

settlement concentrated on the southwest shoreline, with limited settlements scattered along the remaining coast; interior is uninhabited

continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island

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 (almost 7% of the world's fresh water)

Greenlandic 88.1%, Danish 7.1%, Filipino 1.6%, other Nordic peoples 0.9%, and other 2.3% (2024 est.)

Greenlandic, Danish, English

Evangelical Lutheran, traditional Inuit spiritual beliefs

-0.08% (2025 est.)

13.32 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

9.29 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

-4.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

settlement concentrated on the southwest shoreline, with limited settlements scattered along the remaining coast; interior is uninhabited

18,000 NUUK (capital) (2018)

1.87 children born/woman (2025 est.)

0.91 (2025 est.)

1.87 physicians/1,000 population (2016)

38.8% (2022 est.)

10.2% of GDP (2019 est.)

changes in sea levels and other disruptions in the Arctic environment

arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters

parliamentary democracy (Parliament of Greenland or Inatsisartut)

part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1979

5 municipalities (<em>kommuner</em>, singular - <em>kommune</em>); Avannaata, Kujalleq, Qeqertalik, Qeqqata, Sermersooq

Denmark's laws apply in some areas, and Greenland's law for the remainder

see Denmark

18 years of age; universal

Democrats Party (Demokraatit) or D <br>Fellowship Party (Atassut) or A <br>Forward Party (Siumut) or S <br>Inuit Community (Inuit Ataqatigiit) or IA <br>Signpost Party (Naleraq) or N (formerly Partii Naleraq)

Arctic Council, ICC, NC, NIB, UPU

none (extensive self-rule as part of the Kingdom of Denmark)

National Day, June 21

<strong>description:</strong> two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red, with a large disk set slightly to the left; the top half of the disk is red, and the bottom is white<br><br><strong>meaning:</strong> the design represents the sun reflecting off a field of ice; the colors are the same as the Danish flag and symbolize Greenland's links to the Kingdom of Denmark

polar bear

red, white

high-income, self-governing Danish territorial economy; non-EU member but preferential market access; dependent on Danish financial support; exports led by fishing industry; growing tourism and interest in untapped mineral deposits; relies on hydropower for fuel

$3.327 billion (2023 est.)

sheep, cattle, reindeer, fish, shellfish

fish processing (mainly shrimp and Greenland halibut), anorthosite and ruby mining, handicrafts, hides and skins, small shipyards

-1.3% (2023 est.)

Denmark 50%, China 23%, UK 5%, Japan 5%, Germany 3% (2023)

fish, shellfish, processed crustaceans, ships, precious stones (2023)

Denmark 58%, Sweden 19%, Spain 8%, Iceland 7%, Canada 2% (2023)

refined petroleum, ships, garments, plastic products, furniture (2023)

Greenland Broadcasting Company provides public radio and TV, with a broadcast station and a series of repeaters; a few private local TV and radio stations; Danish public radio rebroadcasts are available (2019)

.gl

OY-H

25 (2025)

54 (2025)

no regular military forces

the Danish military’s Joint Arctic Command in Nuuk is responsible for coordinating Denmark's defense of Greenland<br><br>the US Space Force maintains a base on Greenland’s northwest coast, about 750 miles from the North Pole