Greenland Population: 57,714
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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 when the Act on Greenland Self-Government was signed into law 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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| Geography | |
| 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 | |
| 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 |
| Area: | total: 2,166,086 sq km land: 2,166,086 sq km (410,449 sq km ice-free, 1,755,637 sq km ice-covered) Size comparison: 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 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 |
| Natural hazards: | continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island |
| Current Environment Issues: | protection of the arctic environment; preservation of the Inuit traditional way of life, including whaling and seal hunting |
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| People | |
| Population: | 57,714 (July 2013 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 21.6% (male 6,336/female 6,147) 15-24 years: 16.8% (male 4,919/female 4,774) 25-54 years: 42.8% (male 13,083/female 11,617) 55-64 years: 10.7% (male 3,517/female 2,649) 65 years and over: 8.1% (male 2,469/female 2,203) (2013 est.) population pyramid: |
| Median age: | total: 33.7 years male: 35 years female: 32.2 years (2012 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 0.038% (2012 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 14.58 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Death rate: | 8.22 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | -5.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.14 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.1 male(s)/female total population: 1.11 male(s)/female (2011 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 9.83 deaths/1,000 live births male: 11.23 deaths/1,000 live births female: 8.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 71.25 years male: 68.6 years female: 74.04 years (2012 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 2.08 children born/woman (2013 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | NA |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 100 (1999) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | NA |
| Nationality: | noun: Greenlander(s) adjective: Greenlandic |
| Ethnic groups: | Inuit 89%, Danish and other 11% (2009) |
| Religions: | Evangelical Lutheran, traditional Inuit spiritual beliefs |
| Languages: | Greenlandic (East Inuit) (official), Danish (official), English |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (2001 est.) |
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| Government | |
| 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 (Godthab) 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 sq km - about 46% of the island - make 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: | June 21 (longest day) |
| Constitution: | (June 2009) Act on Greenland Self Government |
| Legal system: | the laws of Denmark, where applicable, apply |
| 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: Prime Minister Aleqa HAMMOND (since 13 March 2013) cabinet: Home Rule Government elected by the Parliament (Landsting) on the basis of the strength of parties (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) 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: Aleqa HAMMOND 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 13 March 2013 (next to be held by 2017) election results: percent of vote by party - Siumut Party 42.8%, Inuit Ataqatigiit Party 34.4%, Atassut Party 8.1%, Partii Iniuit Party 6.4%; Democrats 6.2%; Others 2.1%; seats by party - Siumut 14, Inuit Ataqatigiit 11, Atassuit 2, Partii Inuit 2, Democrats 2 note: two representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament or Folketing on 15 September 2011 (next to be held by September 2015); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Siumut 1, Inuit Ataqatigiit 1 (2013) |
| Judicial branch: | High Court or Eggartuussisuuneqarfia (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: | Candidate List (Kattusseqatigiit) [Anthon FREDERIKSEN]; Democratic Party (Demokraatit) [Jens B. FREDERIKSEN]; Forward Party (Siumut) [Aleqa HAMMOND]; Inuit Community (Inuit Ataqatigiit) or IA [Kuupik KLEIST]; Solidarity Party (Atassut) [Gerhardt PETERSEN] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | conservationists; environmentalists |
| International organization participation: | Arctic Council, NC, NIB, UPU |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) |
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| Economy | |
| The economy remains critically dependent on exports of shrimp and fish, income from resource exploration and extraction, and on a substantial subsidy from the Danish Government. The subsidy is budgeted to be about $650 million in 2012, approximately 56% of government revenues in 2012 for the year. The public sector, including publicly owned enterprises and the municipalities, plays the dominant role in Greenland's economy. Greenland's real GDP contracted about 1% in 2009 as a result of the global economic slowdown, but is estimated to have grown 2% in 2010 and 3% in 2011. The relative ease with which Greenland has weathered the economic crisis is due to increased hydrocarbon and mineral exploration and extraction activities, a high level of construction activity in the Nuuk area and the increasing price of fish and shrimp. 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 accounted for 89% of exports in 2010 - 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, while rare-earth and iron ore mineral projects have been proposed or planned elsewhere on the island. 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. | |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | GDP (purchasing power parity): $2.133 billion (2011 est.) $2.071 billion (2010 est.) $2.03 billion (2009 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | GDP (official exchange rate): $2.16 billion (2011 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 3% (2011 est.) 2% (2010 est.) -1.2% (2009 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | GDP - per capita (PPP): $37,400 (2008 est.) $36,600 (2007 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 4% industry: 29% services: 67% (2009 est.) |
| Labor force: | 33,670 (2010) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 4% industry: 29% services: 67% (2009 est.) |
| Unemployment rate: | 4.9% (2011 est.) 4.2% (2010 est.) |
| Population below poverty line: | 9.2% (2007 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.8% (2011 est.) 1.7% (2010 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $1.72 billion expenditures: $1.68 billion (2010) |
| 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% |
| Electricity - production: | 276.6 million kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 175 |
| Electricity - consumption: | 239.4 million kWh (2010 est.) |
| Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2010 est.) |
| Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - production: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 0 cu m (1 January 2012 est.) |
| Exports: | $384.3 million (2010) $358 million (2009) |
| Exports - commodities: | fish and fish products 89%, metals 10% (2008) |
| Exports - partners: | Denmark 63.3%, Japan 12%, China 6.4% (2011) |
| Imports: | $814.2 million (2010) $726 million (2009) |
| Imports - commodities: | machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, petroleum products |
| Imports - partners: | Denmark 58.1%, Sweden 19.7%, UK 10.3% (2011) |
| Debt - external: | $36.4 million (2010) $58 million (2009) |
| Exchange rates: | Danish kroner (DKK) per US dollar - 5.847 (2011) 5.6241 (2011) 5.6241 (2010) 5.361 (2009) 5.0236 (2008) |
| Fiscal year: | calendar year |
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| Communications | |
| Telephones in use: | 19,900 (2011) country comparison to the world: 190 |
| Cellular Phones in use: | 58,700 (2011) |
| 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) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | |
| Television broadcast stations: | |
| Internet country code: | .gl |
| Internet hosts: | 15,645 (2012) |
| Internet users: | 36,000 (2009) |
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| Transportation | |
| Airports: | 15 (2012) country comparison to the world: 148 |
| Airports (paved runways): | total: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 6 (2012) |
| Airports (unpaved runways): | total: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2012) |
| 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 (2005) |
| Merchant marine: | registered in other countries: 1 (Denmark 1) (2010) |
| Ports and terminals: | Sisimiut |
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| Military | |
| Defense is the responsibility of Denmark | |
| Military branches: | no regular military forces |
| Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 15,280 (2010 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 10,765 females age 16-49: 11,399 (2010 est.) |
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