Greenland

Internet country code

.gl

Internet hosts

14,132 (2008)

Internet users

52,000 (2007)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 5, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998)

Telephone system

general assessment: adequate domestic and international service provided by satellite, cables and microwave radio relay; totally digitalized in 1995 domestic: microwave radio relay and satellite international: country code - 299; satellite earth stations - 15 (12 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 2 Americom GE-2 (all Atlantic Ocean)) (2000)

Telephones - main lines in use

36,000 (2006)

Telephones - mobile cellular

66,400 (2007)

Television broadcast stations

1 (plus some local low-power stations, and 3 Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS) stations (1997)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $1.36 billion expenditures: $1.27 billion (2005)

Currency (code)

Danish krone (DKK)

Debt - external

$25 million (1999)

Economy - overview

The economy remains critically dependent on exports of fish and a substantial subsidy 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. Several interesting hydrocarbon and mineral exploration activities are ongoing. Press reports in early 2007 indicated that two international aluminum companies were considering building smelters in Greenland to take advantage of local hydropower potential. Tourism is the only sector offering any near-term potential, and even this is limited due to a short season and high costs. Air Greenland began summer-season direct flights to the US east coast in May 2007, potentially opening a major new tourism market.

Electricity - consumption

283.7 million kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production

305 million kWh (2006 est.)

Exchange rates

Danish kroner (DKK) per US dollar - 5.4797 (2007), 5.9468 (2006), 5.9969 (2005), 5.9911 (2004), 6.5877 (2003)

Exports

$480 million f.o.b. (2006)

Exports - commodities

fish and fish products 94% (prawns 63%) (2001 est.)

Exports - partners

Denmark 61.8%, Japan 9.9%, Canada 7.3%, China 5.8% (2007)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$1.7 billion (2005)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$1.1 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

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

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$20,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

2% (2005 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$712 million c.i.f. (2006)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

Denmark 68.1%, Sweden 19.3%, Canada 2.5% (2007)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1% (2005 est.)

Labor force

32,120 (2004)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

3,927 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports

149.5 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports

4,089 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

Unemployment rate

9.3% (2005 est.)

Area

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

Area - comparative

slightly more than three times the size of Texas

Climate

arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters

Coastline

44,087 km

Elevation extremes

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

Environment - current issues

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

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 cap

Irrigated land

NA

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

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

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

Terrain

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

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

name: Nuuk (Godthab) geographic coordinates: 64 11 N, 51 45 W time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October note: Greenland is divided into four time zones

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

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)

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Soren MOLLER (since April 2005) head of government: Prime Minister Hans ENOKSEN (since 14 December 2002) cabinet: Home Rule Government is elected by the parliament (Landstinget) on the basis of the strength of parties 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 results: Hans ENOKSEN reelected prime minister note: government coalition - Siumut and Inuit Ataqatigiit

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

Government type

parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy

Independence

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

International organization participation

Arctic Council, NC, NIB, UPU

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)

Legal system

the laws of Denmark, where applicable, apply

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) elections: last held on 15 November 2005 (next to be held by December 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - Siumut 30.7%, Demokratiit 22.8%, IA 22.6%, Atassut Party 19.1%; Katusseqatigiit 4.1%, other 0.7%; seats by party - Siumut 10, Demokratiit 7, IA 7, Atassut 6, Katusseqatigiit 1 note: two representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament or Folketing on 13 November 2007 (next to be held in November 2011); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Siumut 1, Inuit Ataqatigiit 1

National holiday

June 21 (longest day)

Political parties and leaders

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

Political pressure groups and leaders

other: conservationists; environmentalists

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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.

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 15,221 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 10,739 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 534 female: 503 (2008 est.)

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of Denmark

Military branches

no regular military forces

Age structure

0-14 years: 23.5% (male 6,867/female 6,634) 15-64 years: 69.9% (male 21,683/female 18,575) 65 years and over: 6.6% (male 1,892/female 1,913) (2008 est.)

Birth rate

14.87 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate

8.23 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Education expenditures

NA

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

100 (1999)

Infant mortality rate

total: 11.2 deaths/1,000 live births male: 12.84 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Languages

Greenlandic (East Inuit), Danish, English

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 69.46 years male: 66.81 years female: 72.25 years (2008 est.)

Literacy

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

Median age

total: 33.5 years male: 34.9 years female: 31.8 years (2008 est.)

Nationality

noun: Greenlander(s) adjective: Greenlandic

Net migration rate

-5.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Population

57,564 (July 2008 est.)

Population growth rate

0.064% (2008 est.)

Religions

Evangelical Lutheran

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.17 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.22 children born/woman (2008 est.)

Disputes - international

managed dispute between Canada and Denmark over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Canada's Ellesmere Island and Greenland

Airports

14 (2007)

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 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2007)

Merchant marine

total: 2 by type: cargo 1, passenger 1 (2008)

Ports and terminals

Sisimiut

Roadways

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