1993 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1993 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 2,175,600 km2 land area: 341,700 km2 (ice free) comparative area: slightly more than three times the size of Texas
Climate
arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters
Coastline
44,087 km
Environment
sparse population confined to small settlements along coast; continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island
International disputes
Denmark has challenged Norway's maritime claims between Greenland and Jan Mayen
Irrigated land
NA km2
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 1% forest and woodland: 0% other: 99%
Location
in the North Atlantic Ocean, between Canada and Norway
Map references
Arctic Region, North America, Standard Time Zones of the World
Maritime claims
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm
Natural resources
zinc, lead, iron ore, coal, molybdenum, cryolite, uranium, fish
Note
dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe
Terrain
flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow, mountainous, barren, rocky coast
People and Society
Birth rate
19.62 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate
7.66 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Ethnic divisions
Greenlander 86% (Eskimos and Greenland-born Caucasians), Danish 14%
Infant mortality rate
28.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Labor force
22,800 by occupation: largely engaged in fishing, hunting, sheep breeding
Languages
Eskimo dialects, Danish
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 66.19 years male: 61.79 years female: 70.6 years (1993 est.)
Literacy
total population: NA% male:
NA% female
NA%
Nationality
noun: Greenlander(s) adjective: Greenlandic
Net migration rate
-3.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Population
56,533 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate
0.84% (1993 est.)
Religions
Evangelical Lutheran
Total fertility rate
2.33 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
3 municipalities (kommuner, singular - kommun); Nordgronland, Ostgronland, Vestgronland
Capital
Nuuk (Godthab)
Chief of State
Queen MARGRETHE II (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Torben Hede PEDERSEN (since NA)
Constitution
Danish
Danish Folketing
last held on 12 December 1990 (next to be held by December 1994); Greenland elects two representatives to the Folketing; results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (2 total) Siumut 1, Atassut 1
Digraph
GL
Diplomatic representation in US
none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)
Executive branch
Danish monarch, high commissioner, home rule chairman, prime minister, Cabinet (Landsstyre)
Flag
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
Head of Government
Home Rule Chairman Lars Emil JOHANSEN (since 15 March 1991)
Independence
none (part of the Danish realm; self-governing overseas administrative division)
Judicial branch
High Court (Landsret)
Landsting
last held on 5 March 1991 (next to be held 5 March 1995); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (27 total) Siumut 11, Atassut Party 8, Inuit Ataqatigiit 5, Center Party 2, Polar Party 1
Legal system
Danish
Legislative branch
unicameral Parliament (Landsting)
Names
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Greenland local long form: none local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat
National holiday
Birthday of the Queen, 16 April (1940)
Political parties and leaders
two-party ruling coalition; Siumut (a moderate socialist party that advocates more distinct Greenlandic identity and greater autonomy from Denmark), Lars Emil JOHANSEN, chairman; Inuit Ataqatigiit (IA; a Marxist-Leninist party that favors complete independence from Denmark rather than home rule), Arqaluk LYNGE; Atassut Party (a more conservative party that favors continuing close relations with Denmark), leader NA; Polar Party (conservative-Greenland nationalist), Lars CHEMNITZ; Center Party (a new nonsocialist protest party), leader NA
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Type
part of the Danish realm; self-governing overseas administrative division
US diplomatic representation
none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)
Economy
Agriculture
sector dominated by fishing and sheep raising; crops limited to forage and small garden vegetables; 1988 fish catch of 133,500 metric tons
Budget
revenues $381 million; expenditures $381 million, including capital expenditures of $36 million (1989)
Currency
1 Danish krone (DKr) = 100 re
Economic aid
none
Electricity
84,000 kW capacity; 176 million kWh produced, 3,060 kWh per capita (1992)
Exchange rates
Danish kroner (DKr) per US$1 - 6.236 (January 1993), 6.036 (1992), 6.396 (1991), 6.189 (1990), 7.310 (1989), 6.732 (1988)
Exports
$340.6 million (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: fish and fish products 95% partners: Denmark 79%, Benelux 9%, Germany 5%
External debt
$480 million (1990 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Imports
$403 million (c.i.f., 1991) commodities: manufactured goods 28%, machinery and transport equipment 24%, food and live animals 12.4%, petroleum products 12% partners: Denmark 65%, Norway 8.8%, US 4.6%, Germany 3.8%, Japan 3.8%, Sweden 2.4%
Industrial production
growth rate NA%
Industries
fish processing (mainly shrimp), lead and zinc mining, handicrafts, some small shipyards, potential for platinum and gold mining
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
1.6% (1991)
National product
GNP - purchasing power equivalent - $500 million (1988)
National product per capita
$9,000 (1988)
National product real growth rate
-10% (1990)
Overview
Greenland's economic situation at present is difficult and unemployment increases. Prospects for economic growth in the immediate future are not bright. The Home Rule Government's economic restraint measures introduced in the late 1980s have assisted in shifting red figures into a balance in the public budget. Foreign trade produced a surplus in 1989 and 1990, but has now returned to a deficit. Following the closing of the Black Angel lead and zinc mine in 1989, Greenland today is fully dependent on fishing and fish processing, this sector accounting for 95% of exports. Prospects for fisheries are not bright, as the important shrimp catches will at best stabilize and cod catches have dropped. Resumption of mining and hydrocarbon activities is not around the corner, thus leaving only tourism with some potential for the near future. The public sector in Greenland, i.e. the HRG and its commercial entities and the municipalities, plays a dominant role in Greenland accounting for about two thirds of total employment. About half the government's revenues come from grants from the Danish Government.
Unemployment rate
9% (1990 est.)
Communications
Airports
total: 11 usable: 8 with permanent-surface runways: 5 with runways over 3,659 m: with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 2
Highways
80 km
Ports
Kangerluarsoruseq (Faeringehavn), Paamiut (Frederikshaab), Nuuk (Godthaab), Sisimiut (Holsteinsborg), Julianehaab, Maarmorilik, North Star Bay
Telecommunications
adequate domestic and international service provided by cables and microwave radio relay; 17,900 telephones; broadcast stations - 5 AM, 7 (35 repeaters) FM, 4 (9 repeaters) TV; 2 coaxial submarine cables; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Military and Security
Note
defense is responsibility of Denmark