GREENLAND
Geography People Government Economy Transportation Communications Defense Forces
GREENLAND
(part of the Danish realm)
@Greenland:Geography
Location: Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean and
the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada
Map references: Arctic Region
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GREENLAND - MAJOR CITIES
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Latitude, Internat'l Time
Population Longitude Phone Code Zone
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NUUK (GODTHAB) 12,000 64.11N, 51.44W 299-2 GMT-3
Holsteinsborg 5,000 66.55N, 53.30W 299- GMT-3
Jakobshavn 4,000 69.10N, 51.05W 299- GMT-3
Egedesminde 3,000 68.50N, 53.00W 299- GMT-3
Julianehab 3,000 60.43N, 46.01W 299- GMT-3
Sukkertoppen 3,000 65.25N, 52.40W 299- GMT-3
Frederikshab 2,000 62.00N, 49.43W 299- GMT-3
Narsarsuaq 2,000 61.10N, 45.19W 299- GMT-3
Christianshab 2,000 68.50N, 51.12W 299- GMT-3
Nanortalik 1,000 60.09N, 45.15W 299- GMT-3
Ammassalik 1,000 65.36N, 37.41W 299- GMT-3
Godhavn 1,000 69.15N, 53.33W 299- GMT-3
Uppernavik 1,000 72.40N, 56.05W 299- GMT-3
Thule 1,000 76.34N, 68.47W 299- GMT-3
Scoresbysund 1,000 70.30N, 22.00W 299- GMT-3
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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
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
@Greenland:People
Population: 57,611 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 27% (female 7,664; male 7,881)
15-64 years: 68% (female 17,761; male 21,580)
65 years and over: 5% (female 1,500; male 1,225) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.05% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 17.7 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 7.2 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 25.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 67.65 years
male: 63.33 years
female: 71.98 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 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: NA%
Labor force: 22,800
by occupation: largely engaged in fishing, hunting, sheep breeding
@Greenland:Government
Names:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Greenland
local long form: none
local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat
Digraph: GL
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
Diplomatic representation in US: none (self-governing overseas
administrative division of Denmark)
US diplomatic representation: none (self-governing overseas
administrative division of Denmark)
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 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.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $NA
National product real growth rate: NA%
National product per capita: $NA
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%, US 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: none
Currency: 1 Danish krone (DKr) = 100 oere
Exchange rates: Danish kroner (DKr) per US$1 - 6.034 (January 1995),
6.361 (1994), 6.484 (1993), 6.036 (1992), 6.396 (1991), 6.189 (1990)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Greenland:Transportation
Railroads: 0 km
Highways:
total: 150 km
paved: 60 km
unpaved: 90 km
Ports: Faeringehavn, Frederikshaab, Holsteinsborg, Nanortalik, Narsaq,
Nuuk (Godthaab), Sondrestrom
Merchant marine: none
Airports:
total: 10
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: 2
with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 1
with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 3
@Greenland:Communications
Telephone system: 17,900 telephones; 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: NA
Television:
broadcast stations: 4 (repeaters 9)
televisions: NA
@Greenland:Defense Forces
Note: defense is responsibility of Denmark
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