Edition 2007 — Greenland

Administrative divisions

3 districts (landsdele); Avannaa (Nordgronland), Tunu (Ostgronland), Kitaa (Vestgronland)
note: there are 18 municipalities in Greenland

Age structure

0-14 years: 24.5% (male 7,072/female 6,740) 15-64 years: 68.9% (male 20,904/female 17,919) 65 years and over: 6.6% (male 1,768/female 1,958) (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

forage crops, garden and greenhouse vegetables; sheep, reindeer; fish

Airports

14 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 5 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Area

land: 2,166,086 sq km (410,449 sq km ice-free, 1,755,637 sq km ice-covered) (2000 est.)
total: 2,166,086 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly more than three times the size of Texas

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. Denmark continues to exercise control of Greenland's foreign affairs in consultation with Greenland's Home Rule Government. Geography Greenland

Birth rate

15.93 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Budget

expenditures: $629 million; including capital expenditures of $85 million (1999)
revenues: $646 million

Capital

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
geographic coordinates: 64 11 N, 51 44 W
name: Nuuk (Godthab)
note: Greenland is divided into four time zones
time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Climate

arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters

Coastline

44,087 km

Constitution

5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)

Country name

conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Greenland
local long form: none
local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat

Currency (code)

Danish krone (DKK)

Currency code

DKK

Death rate

7.84 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$25 million (1999)

Dependency status

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Disputes - international

managed dispute between Canada and Denmark over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Canada's Ellesmere Island and Greenland This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

Economic aid - recipient

$380 million subsidy from Denmark (1997)

Economy - overview

The economy remains critically dependent on exports of fish and substantial support from the Danish Government, which supplies about half of government revenues. The public sector, including publicly-owned enterprises and the municipalities, plays the dominant role in the economy. Despite several interesting hydrocarbon and mineral exploration activities, it will take a number of years before production can materialize. Tourism is the only sector offering any near-term potential, and even this is limited due to a short season and high costs.

Electricity - consumption

274.4 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - production

295 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
note: Greenland is shifting its electricity production from fossil fuel to hydropower production (2001)
nuclear: 0%
other: 0%

Elevation extremes

highest point: Gunnbjorn 3,700 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

protection of the arctic environment; preservation of the Inuit traditional way of life, including whaling and seal hunting

Ethnic groups

Greenlander 88% (Inuit and Greenland-born whites), Danish and others 12% (2000)

Exchange rates

Danish kroner per US dollar - 5.93667 (2006), 5.9969 (2005), 5.9911 (2004), 6.5877 (2003), 7.8947 (2002)

Executive branch

cabinet: Home Rule Government is elected by the parliament (Landstinget) on the basis of the strength of parties
chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Soren MOLLER (since April 2005)
election results: Hans ENOKSEN elected prime minister
elections: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by the monarch; prime minister is elected by parliament (usually the leader of the majority party); election last held 3 December 2002 (next to be held December 2006)
head of government: Prime Minister Hans ENOKSEN (since 14 December 2002)
note: government coalition - Siumut and Inuit Ataqatigiit

Exports

$480 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities

fish and fish products 94% (prawns 63%)

Exports - partners

Denmark 61.7%, Japan 12.2%, China 5.2%, Spain 4.6% (2005)

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Greenland

Flag description

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 Economy Greenland

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$20,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

1.8% (2001 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

NA

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$1.1 billion (2001 est.)

Geographic coordinates

72 00 N, 40 00 W

Geography - note

dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe; sparse population confined to small settlements along coast, but close to one-quarter of the population lives in the capital, Nuuk; world's second largest ice cap People Greenland

Government type

parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

100 (1999)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: NA%

Imports

$601 million c.i.f. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, petroleum products

Imports - partners

Denmark 67.1%, Sweden 19.2%, Ireland 3.5% (2005)

Independence

none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; foreign affairs is the responsibility of Denmark, but Greenland actively participates in international agreements relating to Greenland)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

fish processing (mainly shrimp and Greenland halibut); gold, niobium, tantalite, uranium, iron and diamond mining; handicrafts, hides and skins, small shipyards

Infant mortality rate

female: 14.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
male: 16.73 deaths/1,000 live births
total: 15.4 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.6% (1999 est.)

International organization participation

Arctic Council, NC, NIB, UPU

Internet country code

.gl

Internet hosts

8,851 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2000)

Internet users

38,000 (2005) Transportation Greenland

Irrigated land

NA

Judicial branch

High Court or Landsret (appeals can be made to the Ostre Landsret or Eastern Division of the High Court or Supreme Court in Copenhagen)

Labor force

24,500 (1999 est.)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
permanent crops: 0%

Languages

Greenlandic (East Inuit), Danish, English

Legal system

Danish

Legislative branch

unicameral Parliament or Landstinget (31 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - Siumut 30.7%, Demokratiit 22.8%, Inuit Ataqatigiit 22.6%, Atassut Party 19.1%; Katusseqatigiit 4.1%, other 0.7%; seats by party - Siumut 10, Demokratiit 7, Inuit Ataqatigiit 7, Atassut 6, Katusseqatigiit 1
elections: last held on 15 November 2005 (next to be held by December 2009)
note: two representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament or Folketing on 8 February 2005 (next to be held February 2009); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Siumut 1, Inuit Ataqatigiit 1

Life expectancy at birth

female: 73.6 years (2006 est.)
male: 66.36 years
total population: 69.94 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
female: 100% (2001 est.) Government Greenland
male: 100%
total population: 100%

Location

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

Manpower available for military service

males age 18-49: 14,653 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49: 10,199 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males age 18-49: 440 (2005 est.)

Map references

Arctic Region

Maritime claims

continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line
territorial sea: 3 nm

Median age

female: 32.3 years (2006 est.)
male: 35.3 years
total: 34 years

Merchant marine

by type: cargo 1, passenger 2
registered in other countries: 2 (Cyprus 1, Denmark 1) (2006)
total: 3 ships (1000 GRT or over) 5,540 GRT/2,540 DWT

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of Denmark Transnational Issues Greenland

National holiday

June 21 (longest day)

Nationality

adjective: Greenlandic
noun: Greenlander(s)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural hazards

continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island

Natural resources

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

Net migration rate

-8.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

3,860 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Political parties and leaders

Atassut Party (Solidarity, a conservative party favoring continuing close relations with Denmark) [Finn KARLSEN]; Demokratiit [Per BERTHELSEN]; Inuit Ataqatigiit or IA (Eskimo Brotherhood, a leftist party favoring complete independence from Denmark rather than home rule) [Josef MOTZFELDT]; Kattusseqatigiit (Candidate List, an independent right-of-center party with no official platform; Siumut (Forward Party, a social democratic party advocating more distinct Greenlandic identity and greater autonomy from Denmark) [Hans ENOKSEN]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Population

56,361 (July 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Population growth rate

-0.03% (2006 est.)

Ports and terminals

Sisimiut Military Greenland

Radio broadcast stations

AM 5, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

30,000 (1998 est.)

Religions

Evangelical Lutheran

Roadways

note: while there are short roads in towns, there are no roads between towns; inter-town transport takes place either by sea or air (2005)
total: NA

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.17 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic: microwave radio relay and satellite
general assessment: adequate domestic and international service provided by satellite, cables and microwave radio relay; totally digitalized in 1995
international: country code - 299; satellite earth stations - 12 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 2 Americom GE-2 (all Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

25,300 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular

32,200 (2004)

Television broadcast stations

1 publicly-owned station, some local low-power stations, and three AFRTS (US Air Force) stations (1997)

Televisions