Greenland

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 18,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 32 (2022 est.)

Broadcast media

Greenland Broadcasting Company provides public radio and TV, with a broadcast station and a series of repeaters; a few private local TV and radio stations; Danish public radio rebroadcasts are available (2019)

Internet country code

.gl

Internet users

percent of population: 70% (2017 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 6,000 (2020 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 9 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 67,000 (2021 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 118 (2021 est.)

Agricultural products

sheep, cattle, reindeer, fish, shellfish

Budget

revenues: $1.719 billion (2016 est.) expenditures: $1.594 billion (2016 est.)

Economic overview

high-income, self-governing Danish territorial economy; non-EU member but preferential market access; dependent on Danish financial support; exports led by fishing industry; growing tourism and interest in untapped mineral deposits; relies on hydropower for fuel

Exchange rates

Danish kroner (DKK) per US dollar - 6.894 (2024 est.) 6.89 (2023 est.) 7.076 (2022 est.) 6.287 (2021 est.) 6.542 (2020 est.)

Exports

$1.357 billion (2023 est.) $1.286 billion (2022 est.) $1.122 billion (2021 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

fish, shellfish, processed crustaceans, ships, precious stones (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

Denmark 50%, China 23%, UK 5%, Japan 5%, Germany 3% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP (official exchange rate)

$3.327 billion (2023 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 32.6% (2023 est.) government consumption: 41.7% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 34.7% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 1.3% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 40.8% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -51.1% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 16.6% (2023 est.) industry: 18.4% (2023 est.) services: 61% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Imports

$1.7 billion (2023 est.) $1.657 billion (2022 est.) $1.635 billion (2021 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, ships, garments, plastic products, furniture (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

Denmark 58%, Sweden 19%, Spain 8%, Iceland 7%, Canada 2% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

-1.3% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

fish processing (mainly shrimp and Greenland halibut), anorthosite and ruby mining, handicrafts, hides and skins, small shipyards

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.2% (2022 est.) 0% (2021 est.) 2.1% (2020 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$4.04 billion (2023 est.) $4.005 billion (2022 est.) $3.926 billion (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP growth rate

0.9% (2023 est.) 2% (2022 est.) 1.6% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP per capita

$71,000 (2023 est.) $70,700 (2022 est.) $69,300 (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

Coal

imports: 5 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 383 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 190,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 534.5 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 10 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 13.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 85.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption: 4,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

527,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 12 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 527,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Climate

arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters

Environmental issues

changes in sea levels and other disruptions in the Arctic environment

Land use

agricultural land: 0.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 0% (2022 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 0.6% (2023 est.) forest: 0% (2023 est.) other: 99.4% (2023 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 87.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.41% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 50,000 tons (2024 est.)

Area

total : 2,166,086 sq km land: 2,166,086 sq km (approximately 1,710,000 sq km ice-covered)

Area - comparative

slightly more than three times the size of Texas

Climate

arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters

Coastline

44,087 km

Elevation

highest point: Gunnbjorn Fjeld 3,694 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 1,792 m

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; close to one-quarter of the population lives in the capital, Nuuk; world's second largest ice sheet after that of Antarctica, covering an area of 1.71 million sq km (660,000 sq mi), or about 79% of the island, and containing 2.85 million cu km (684 thousand cu mi) of ice (almost 7% of the world's fresh water)

Irrigated land

NA

Land boundaries

total: 0 km

Land use

agricultural land: 0.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 0% (2022 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 0.6% (2023 est.) forest: 0% (2023 est.) other: 99.4% (2023 est.)

Location

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

Map references

Arctic Region

Maritime claims

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

Natural hazards

continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island

Natural resources

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

Population distribution

settlement concentrated on the southwest shoreline, with limited settlements scattered along the remaining coast; interior is uninhabited

Terrain

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

Administrative divisions

5 municipalities ( kommuner , singular - kommune ); Avannaata, Kujalleq, Qeqertalik, Qeqqata, Sermersooq note: Northeast Greenland National Park (Kalaallit Nunaanni Nuna Eqqissisimatitaq) and the Pituffik Space Base (formerly known as Thule Air Base) in northwest Greenland are two unincorporated areas; the national park's 972,000 sq km -- about 46% of the island -- makes it the largest national park in the world and also the most northerly

Capital

name: Nuuk geographic coordinates: 64 11 N, 51 45 W time difference: UTC-2 (3 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October time zone note: Greenland has three time zones etymology: nuuk is the Inuit word for "cape;" until 1979, the name was Godthab, from the Danish words meaning "good hope"

Citizenship

see Denmark

Constitution

history: previous 1953 (Greenland established as a constituency in the Danish constitution), 1979 (Greenland Home Rule Act); latest 21 June 2009 (Greenland Self-Government Act)

Country name

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Greenland local long form: none local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat etymology: named by Norse navigator Erik THORVALDSSON (Erik the Red) in A.D. 985 to attract settlers to the island; the original Greenlandic name, Kalaallit Nunaat, means "land of the people"

Dependency status

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Consul Susan A. "Suzi" WILSON (since August 2025) embassy: Aalisartut Aqqutaa 47 Nuuk 3900 Greenland telephone: (+299) 384100 email address and website: USConsulateNuuk@state.gov Homepage - U.S. Embassy Consulate in the Kingdom of Denmark (usembassy.gov)

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Kenneth H EGH, Head of Representation (since 1 August 2021) chancery: 3200 Whitehaven Street, NW Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-4300 FAX: [1] (202) 328-1470 email address and website: washington@nanoq.gl All Greenlandic Representations | Gr nlands Repr sentation (grl-rep.dk) ; https://naalakkersuisut.gl/en/Naalakkersuisut/Groenlands-repraesentation-Washington note : Greenland also has offices in the Danish consulates in Chicago and New York

Executive branch

chief of state: King FREDERIK X of Denmark (since 14 January 2024), represented by High Commissioner Julie Praest WILCHE (since May 2022) (2024) head of government: Prime Minister Jens-Frederik NIELSEN (since 28 March 2025) cabinet: Self-rule Government (Naalakkersuisut) elected by the Parliament (Inatsisartut) election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by the monarch; premier indirectly elected by Parliament for a 4-year term election results: 2025: Jens-Frederik NIELSEN (D) elected premier 2021: Mute B. EGEDE elected premier; Parliament vote - Mute B. EGEDE (Inuit Ataqatigiit) unanimous 2014: Kim KIELSEN elected premier; Parliament vote - Kim KIELSEN (S) 27.2%, Sara OLSVIG (IA) 25.5%, Randi Vestergaard EVALDSEN (D) 19.5%, other 27.8%

Flag

description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red, with a large disk set slightly to the left; the top half of the disk is red, and the bottom is white meaning: the design represents the sun reflecting off a field of ice; the colors are the same as the Danish flag and symbolize Greenland's links to the Kingdom of Denmark

Government type

parliamentary democracy (Parliament of Greenland or Inatsisartut)

Independence

none (extensive self-rule as part of the Kingdom of Denmark)

International organization participation

Arctic Council, ICC, NC, NIB, UPU

Judicial branch

highest court(s): High Court of Greenland (consists of the presiding professional judge and 2 lay assessors) judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the Judicial Appointments Council, a 6-member independent body of judges and lawyers; judges appointed for life with retirement at age 70 subordinate courts: Court of Greenland; 18 district or magistrates' courts note: appeals beyond the High Court of Greenland can be heard by the Supreme Court (in Copenhagen)

Legal system

Denmark's laws apply in some areas, and Greenland's law for the remainder

Legislative branch

legislature name: Parliament (Inatsisartut) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 31 (directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 4/6/2021 parties elected and seats per party: IA (12); S (10); N (4); D (3); A (2) percentage of women in chamber: 35% expected date of next election: 2025 note: Greenland elects 2 members to the Danish Parliament to serve 4-year terms

National anthem(s)

title: "Nunarput utoqqarsuanngoravit" (Our Country, Who's Become So Old) lyrics/music: Henrik LUND/Jonathan PETERSEN history: adopted 1916 _____ title: "Nuna asiilasooq" (The Land of Great Length) lyrics/music: unknown history: adopted 1979, when home rule was granted; the Greenlandic government recognizes this local Kalaallit song as a secondary anthem

National color(s)

red, white

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites: 3 (2 cultural, 1 natural); note - excerpted from the Denmark entry selected World Heritage Site locales: Ilulissat Icefjord (n); Kujataa, Norse, and Inuit Farming (c); Aasivissuit Nipisat, Inuit Hunting Ground (c)

National holiday

National Day, June 21 note: marks the summer solstice and the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere

National symbol(s)

polar bear

Political parties

Democrats Party (Demokraatit) or D Fellowship Party (Atassut) or A Forward Party (Siumut) or S Inuit Community (Inuit Ataqatigiit) or IA Signpost Party (Naleraq) or N (formerly Partii Naleraq)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

Greenland, the world's largest island, is about 80% ice capped. The Inuit came to Greenland from North America in a series of migrations that stretched from 2500 BC to the11th century. Vikings reached the island in the 10th century from Iceland; Danish colonization began in the 18th century, and Greenland became part of the Kingdom 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 remains a member of the EU's Overseas Countries and Territories Association. The Danish parliament granted Greenland home rule in 1979; the law went into effect the following year. Greenland voted in favor of self-government in 2008 and acquired greater responsibility for internal affairs when the Act on Greenland Self-Government was signed into law in 2009. The Kingdom of Denmark, however, continues to exercise control over several policy areas on behalf of Greenland, including foreign affairs, security, and financial policy, in consultation with Greenland's Self-Rule Government.

Military - note

the Danish military s Joint Arctic Command in Nuuk is responsible for coordinating Denmark's defense of Greenland the US Space Force maintains a base on Greenland s northwest coast, about 750 miles from the North Pole

Military and security forces

no regular military forces

Age structure

0-14 years: 20.4% (male 5,964/female 5,798) 15-64 years: 67.1% (male 20,050/female 18,711) 65 years and over: 12.5% (2024 est.) (male 3,829/female 3,399)

Birth rate

13.32 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

38.8% (2022 est.)

Death rate

9.29 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 49 (2024 est.) youth dependency ratio: 30.3 (2024 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 18.6 (2024 est.) potential support ratio: 5.4 (2024 est.)

Drinking water source

total: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

10.2% of GDP (2019 est.)

Ethnic groups

Greenlandic 88.1%, Danish 7.1%, Filipino 1.6%, other Nordic peoples 0.9%, and other 2.3% (2024 est.) note: data represent population by country of birth

Gross reproduction rate

0.91 (2025 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 8.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 9.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Greenlandic, Danish, English note: West Greenlandic or Kalaallisut is the official language; Tunumiisut (East Greenlandic) and Inuktun (Polar Inuit Greenlandic) are considered dialects of Kalaallisut and spoken by about 10% of Greenlanders

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 74.5 years (2024 est.) male: 71.8 years female: 77.3 years

Major urban areas - population

18,000 NUUK (capital) (2018)

Median age

total: 35.6 years (2025 est.) male: 35.9 years female: 34.7 years

Nationality

noun: Greenlander(s) adjective: Greenlandic

Net migration rate

-4.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Physician density

1.87 physicians/1,000 population (2016)

Population

total: 57,751 (2024 est.) male: 29,843 female: 27,908

Population distribution

settlement concentrated on the southwest shoreline, with limited settlements scattered along the remaining coast; interior is uninhabited

Population growth rate

-0.08% (2025 est.)

Religions

Evangelical Lutheran, traditional Inuit spiritual beliefs

Sanitation facility access

total: 62.5% of population (2022 est.) urban: 0% of population rural: 0% of population total: 37.5% of population (2022 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.87 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 87.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.41% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Airports

25 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

OY-H

Heliports

54 (2025)

Merchant marine

total: 10 (2023) by type: other 10

Ports

total ports: 23 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 7 very small: 10 size unknown: 6 ports with oil terminals: 5 key ports: Aasiaat, Illulissat (Jakobshavn), Kusanartoq, Nuuk, Paamuit (Frederikshab), Qeqertarsuaq, Sisimiut