1982 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1982 (Wikisource)
Geography
Area
2,175,600 km2; less than 1% arable (of which only a fraction cultivated), 84% permanent ice and snow, 15% other WATER
Coastline
approx. 44,087 km, (includes minor islands)
Limits of territorial waters (claimed)
3 nm (fishing 200 nm)
People and Society
Ethnic divisions
86% Greenlander (Eskimos and Greenland-born whites), 14% Danes
Labor force
12,000; largely engaged in fishing and sheep breeding
Language
Danish, Eskimo dialects
Literacy
99%
Nationality
noun—Greenlander(s); adjective—Greenlandic
Population
51,000 (July 1982) ?? annual growth rate 0.6%
Religion
Evangelical Lutheran
Government
Branches
legislative authorityjests jointly with the elected 21-seat Landsting and Danish parliament; executive power vested in Premier and four-person council; 19 lower courts
Capital
Godthab (administrative center)
Elections
held every four years
Government leaders
Queen MARGRETHE II, Premier Jonathan MOTZFELDT Suffrage: universal, but not compulsory, over age 21
Legal system
Danish law; transformed from colony to province in 1953; limited home rule began in spring 1979
Official name
Greenland
Political parties
Siumut—leading party in present government with 13 seats (moderate socialist, advocating more distinct Greenland identity and greater autonomy from Denmark); the Atassut Party, which controls the remaining eight seats, is more conservative, favors continuing close relations with Denmark and the EC; Sulissartut Partiat, the political wing of the Greenland labor movement; and the Inuit Atagatigik, a Marxist-Leninist party favoring complete independence from Denmark rather than home rule
Political subdivisions
3 counties, 19 communes
Type
province of Kingdom of Denmark; two representatives in Danish parliament; separate Minister for Greenland in the Danish Cabinet
Economy
Agriculture
arable areas largely in hay; sheep grazing; garden produce
Electric power
77,000 kW capacity (1980); 125 million k Wh produced (1980), 2,500 k Wh per capita
Exports
$101.4 million (f.o.b., 1978); fish and fish products, metallic ores and concentrates
Fiscal year
calendar year beginning 1 January 1979
Fishing
catch 82,000 tons (1979); exports $53.7 million (1978)
GNP
included in that of Denmark
Imports
$177.8 million (c.i.f., 1978); petroleum and petroleum products, machinery and transport equipment, food products
Major industries
mining, slaughtering, fishing, sealing
Major trade partners
(1978) Denmark 67.2%, US 7.9%, Finland 5.3%, West Germany 5.3%, UK 5.3%
Monetary conversion rate
5.6359 Danish Kroner=US$1 (1980)
Communications
Airfields
12 total, 7 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways; 3 with runways 2,440-3,659 m, 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Civil air
2 major transport aircraft
Highways
80 km
Ports
7 major, 16 minor
Railroads
none
Telecommunications
adequate domestic and international service provided by cables and radio relay; 9,000 telephones (18.4 per 100 popl.); 9 AM, 11 FM, and 2 TV stations; 2 coaxial submarine cables; 1 Atlantic Ocean satellite station
Military and Security
Military manpower
included with Denmark