1994 Edition

Administrative divisions

3 municipalities (kommuner, singular - kommun); Nordgronland, Ostgronland, Vestgronland

Affiliation

(part of the Danish realm)

Agriculture

sector dominated by fishing and sheep raising; crops limited to forage and small garden vegetables; 1988 fish catch of 133,500 metric tons

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

Area

total area: 2,175,600 sq km land area: 383,600 sq km (ice free) comparative area: slightly more than three times the size of Texas

Birth rate

18.6 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Budget

revenues: $381 million expenditures: $381 million, including capital expenditures of $36 million (1989)

Capital

Nuuk (Godthab)

Climate

arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters

Coastline

44,087 km

Constitution

5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)

Currency

1 Danish krone (DKr) = 100 oere

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

Death rate

7.43 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Digraph

GL

Diplomatic representation in US

none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Economic aid

none

Electricity

capacity: 84,000 kW production: 176 million kWh consumption per capita: 3,060 kWh (1992)

Environment

current issues: NA natural hazards: NA international agreements: NA

Ethnic divisions

Greenlander 86% (Eskimos and Greenland-born Caucasians), Danish 14%

Exchange rates

Danish kroner (DKr) per US$1 - 6.771 (January 1994), 6.484 (1993), 6.036 (1992), 6.396 (1991), 6.189 (1990), 7.310 (1989)

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Torben Hede PEDERSEN (since NA) head of government: Home Rule Chairman Lars Emil JOHANSEN (since 15 March 1991) cabinet: Landsstyre; formed from the Landsting on basis of strength of parties

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

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

Highways

total: 150 km paved: 60 km unpaved: 90 km

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%

Independence

none (part of the Danish realm; self-governing overseas administrative division)

Industrial production

growth rate NA%

Industries

fish processing (mainly shrimp), lead and zinc mining, handicrafts, some small shipyards, potential for platinum and gold mining

Infant mortality rate

26.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.6% (1991)

International disputes

dispute betwen Denmark and Norway over maritime boundary in Arctic Ocean between Greenland and Jan Mayen has been settled by the International Court of Justice (ICJ)

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Judicial branch

High Court (Landsret)

Labor force

22,800 by occupation: largely engaged in fishing, hunting, sheep breeding

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 1% forest and woodland: 0% other: 99%

Languages

Eskimo dialects, Danish

Legal system

Danish

Legislative branch

unicameral

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 66.91 years male: 62.55 years female: 71.28 years (1994 est.)

Literacy

total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Location

Northern North America, 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

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)

National product

GNP - purchasing power equivalent - $500 million (1988)

National product per capita

$9,000 (1988)

National product real growth rate

-10% (1990)

Nationality

noun: Greenlander(s) adjective: Greenlandic

Natural resources

zinc, lead, iron ore, coal, molybdenum, cryolite, uranium, fish

Net migration rate

-1.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Note

dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe; sparse population confined to small settlements along coast; continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island

defense is responsibility of Denmark

Overview

Greenland's economic situation at present is difficult. Unemployment is increasing, and prospects for economic growth in the immediate future are dim. Following the closing of the Black Angel lead and zinc mine in 1989, Greenland became almost completely dependent on fishing and fish processing, the 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 central government 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.

Parliament (Landsting)

elections 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

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

Population

57,040 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate

0.94% (1994 est.)

Ports

Kangerluarsoruseq (Faeringehavn), Paamiut (Frederikshaab), Nuuk (Godthaab), Sisimiut (Holsteinsborg), Julianehaab, Maarmorilik, North Star Bay

Religions

Evangelical Lutheran

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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

Terrain

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

Total fertility rate

2.29 children born/woman (1994 est.)

Type

part of the Danish realm; self-governing overseas administrative division

Unemployment rate

9% (1990 est.)

US diplomatic representation

none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)