Greenland

Part of the Danish realm

Greenland

 

Geography                 Economy                 Defense Forces
 

People                    Transportation          Government



Communications            History      	          Travel

GEOGRAPHY

Location

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

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

Land Boundaries

0 km

Coastline

44,087 km

Maritime Claims

Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 3 nm

International Disputes

None

Climate

Arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters

Terrain

Flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow, mountainous, barren, rocky coast
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Gunnbjorn 3,700 m

Natural Resources

Zinc
Lead
Iron ore
Coal
Molybdenum
Cryolite
Uranium
Fish

Land Use

Arable land: 0%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 1%
Forest and woodland: 0%
Other: 99%

Irrigated Land

0 sq km

Environment

Current issues: NA
Natural hazards: continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island
International agreements: NA

Note: Dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe; sparse population confined to small settlements along coast

PEOPLE

Population

58,203 (July 1996 est.)
57,611 (July 1995 est.)

Age Structure

0-14 Years

27% (male 7,871; female 7,723) (July 1996 est.)
27% (male 7,881; female 7,664) (July 1995 est.)

15-64 Years

68% (male 21,755; female 17,961) (July 1996 est.)
68% (male 21,580; female 17,761) (July 1995 est.)

65 Years and Over

5% (male 1,307; female 1,586) (July 1996 est.) 5% (male 1,225; female 1,500) (July 1995 est.)

Population Growth Rate

1% (1996 est.)
1.05% (1995 est.)

Birth Rate

17.06 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
17.7 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death Rate

7.11 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
7.2 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net Migration Rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.21 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
all ages: 1.13 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

23.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
25.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Total population: 86.24 years (1996 est.), 67.65 years (1995 est.)
Male: 63,97 years (1996 est.), 63.33 years (1995 est.)
Female: 72.53 years (1996 est.), 71.98 years (1995 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

2.22 children born/woman (1996 est.)
2.25 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality

Noun: Greenlander(s)
Adjective: Greenlandic

Ethnic Divisions

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

Religions

Evangelical Lutheran

Languages

Eskimo dialects, Danish

Literacy

Labor Force

22,800

By occupation:

Largely engaged in fishing, hunting, sheep breeding

GOVERNMENT

Names

Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Greenland
Local long form: none
Local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat

Digraph

Type

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

Capital

Nuuk (Godthab)

Administrative Divisions

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

Independence

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

National Holiday

Birthday of the Queen, 16 April (1940)

Constitution

5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)

Legal System

Danish

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive Branch

Chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Steen SPORE (since NA 1993)
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

Legislative Branch

Unicameral

Parliament (Landsting)

Elections last held on 4 March 1995 (next to be held 5 March 1999); results - Siumut 38.5%, Inuit Ataqatigiit 20.3%, Atassut Party 29.7%; seats - (31 total) Siumut 12, Atassut Party 10, Inuit Ataqatigiit 6, conservative splinter grouping 2, independent 1

Danish Folketing

Last held on 21 September 1994 (next to be held by September 1998); Greenland elects two representatives to the Folketing; results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (2 total) Liberals 1, Social Democrats 1; note - Greenlandic representatives are affiliated with Danish political parties

Judicial Branch

High Court (Landsret)

Political Parties and Leaders

Two-party ruling coalition; Siumut (Forward Party, a moderate socialist party that advocates more distinct Greenlandic identity and greater autonomy from Denmark), Lars Emil JOHANSEN, chairman; Inuit Ataqatigiit (IA) (Eskimo Brotherhood, a Marxist-Leninist party that favors complete independence from Denmark rather than home rule), Josef MOTZFELDT; Atassut Party (Solidarity, a more conservative party that favors continuing close relations with Denmark), Daniel SKIFTE; AKULLIIT, Bjarne KREUTZMANN; Issituup (Polar Party), Nicolai HEINRICH

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

ECONOMY

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, 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, an important supplement of the National Product.

National Product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $892 million (1995 est.)

National Product Real Growth Rate

National Product Per Capita

$15,500 (1995 est.)

Inflation Rate (consumer Prices)

1.3% (1993 est.)

Unemployment Rate

6.6% (1993 est.)

Budget

Revenues: $667 million
Expenditures: $635 million, including capital expenditures of $103.8 million (1993 est.)

Exports

$330.5 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)

Commodities:

Fish and fish products 95%

Partners:

Denmark 79%
Benelux 9%
Germany 5%

Imports

$369.6 million (c.i.f., 1993 est.)

Commodities:

Manufactured goods 28%
Machinery and transport equipment 24%
Food and live animals 12.4%
Petroleum products 12%

Partners:

Denmark 65%
Norway 8.8%
U.S. 4.6%
Germany 3.8%
Japan 3.8%
Sweden 2.4%

External Debt

$297.1 million (1993)

Industrial Production

Growth rate NA

Electricity

Capacity: 84,000 kW
Production: 210 million kWh
Consumption per capita: 3,361 kWh (1993)

Industries

Fish processing (mainly shrimp)
Lead and zinc mining
Handicrafts
Some small shipyards
Potential for platinum and gold mining

Agriculture

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

Economic Aid

Substantial annual subsidy from Denmark

Currency

1 Danish krone (DKr) = 100 oere

Exchange Rates

Danish kroner (DKr) per US$1 - 5.652 (January 1996), 5.602 (1995), 6.361 (1994), 6.484 (1993), 6.036 (1992), 6.396 (1991), 6.189 (1990)

Fiscal Year

Calendar year

TRANSPORTATION

Railroads

0 km

Highways

Total: 150 km
Paved: 60 km
Unpaved: 90 km

Ports

Faeringehavn, Frederikshaab, Holsteinsborg, Nanortalik, Narsaq, Nuuk (Godthaab), Sondre Stromfjord

Merchant Marine

None

Airports

Total: 8
With paved runways over 3,047 m: 1
With paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
With paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 1
With unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1995 est.)

COMMUNICATIONS

Telephone System

17,900 telephones (1984 est.); adequate domestic and international service provided by cables and microwave radio relay

Local: NA
Intercity: microwave radio relay
International: 2 coaxial submarine cables; 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station

Radio

Broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 7 (repeaters 35), shortwave 0
Radios: 23,000 (1991 est.)

Television

Broadcast stations: 4 (repeaters 9)
Televisions: 12,000 (1991 est.)

DEFENSE FORCES

Note: Defense is responsibility of Denmark

History
World Atlas

last updated 22 november 1997

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