Greenland

Broadcast media

the Greenland Broadcasting Company provides public radio and TV services throughout the island with a broadcast station and a series of repeaters; a few private local TV and radio stations; Danish public radio rebroadcasts are available (2015)

Internet country code

.gl

Internet users

total: 39,544 (July 2016 est.) | percent of population: 68.5% (July 2016 est.)

Telephone system

general assessment: adequate domestic and international service provided by satellite, cables, and microwave radio relay; microwave radio relay and satellite; the fundamental telecommunications infrastructure consists of a digital radio link from Nanortalik in south Greenland to Uummannaq in north Greenland; satellites cover north and east Greenland for domestic and foreign telecommunications; a marine cable connects south and west Greenland to the rest of the world, extending from Nuuk and Qaqortoq to Canada and Iceland (2017) | domestic: 28 per 100 for fixed-line subscriptions and 106 per 100 for mobile-cellular (2017) | international: country code - 299; satellite earth stations - 15 (12 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 2 Americom GE-2 (all Atlantic Ocean)) (2015)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 16,000 (July 2016 est.) | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 28 (July 2016 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 61,000 (July 2016 est.) | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 106 (July 2016 est.)

Agriculture - products

sheep, cow, reindeer, fish, shellfish

Budget

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

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

5.6% (of GDP) (2016 est.)

Central bank discount rate

NA

Debt - external

$36.4 million (2010) | $58 million (2009)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

33.9 (2015 est.) | 34.3 (2014 est.)

Economy - overview

Greenland’s economy depends on exports of shrimp and fish, and on a substantial subsidy from the Danish Government. Fish account for over 90% of its exports, subjecting the economy to price fluctuations. The subsidy from the Danish Government is budgeted to be about $535 million in 2017, more than 50% of government revenues, and 25% of GDP. The economy is expanding after a period of decline. The economy contracted between 2012 and 2014, grew by 1.7% in 2015 and by 7.7%in 2016. The expansion has been driven by larger quotas for shrimp, the predominant Greenlandic export, and also by increased activity in the construction sector, especially in Nuuk, the capital. Private consumption and tourism also are contributing to GDP growth more than in previous years. Tourism in Greenland grew annually around 20% in 2015 and 2016, largely a result of increasing numbers of cruise lines now operating in Greenland's western and southern waters during the peak summer tourism season. The public sector, including publicly owned enterprises and the municipalities, plays a dominant role in Greenland's economy. During the last decade the Greenland Self Rule Government pursued conservative fiscal and monetary policies, but public pressure has increased for better schools, health care, and retirement systems. The budget was in deficit in 2014 and 2016, but public debt remains low at about 5% of GDP. The government plans a balanced budget for the 2017–20 period. Significant challenges face the island, including low levels of qualified labor, geographic dispersion, lack of industry diversification, the long-term sustainability of the public budget, and a declining population due to emigration. Hydrocarbon exploration has ceased with declining oil prices. The island has potential for natural resource exploitation with rare-earth, uranium, and iron ore mineral projects proposed, but a lack of infrastructure hinders development.

Exchange rates

Danish kroner (DKK) per US dollar - | 6.586 (2017 est.) | 6.7309 (2016 est.) | 6.7309 (2015 est.) | 6.7326 (2014 est.) | 5.6125 (2013 est.)

Exports

$407.1 million (2015 est.) | $599.7 million (2014 est.)

Exports - commodities

fish and fish products 91% (2015 est.)

Exports - partners

Denmark 82.5%, Iceland 4.4% (2017)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$2.221 billion (2015 est.) (2015 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$2.413 billion (2015 est.) | $2.24 billion (2014 est.) | $2.203 billion (2013 est.) | note: data are in 2015 US dollars

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 68.1% (2015 est.) | government consumption: 28% (2015 est.) | investment in fixed capital: 14.3% (2015 est.) | investment in inventories: -13.9% (2015 est.) | exports of goods and services: 18.2% (2015 est.) | imports of goods and services: -28.6% (2015 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 15.9% (2015 est.) | industry: 10.1% (2015 est.) | services: 73.9% (2015)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$41,800 (2015 est.) | $38,800 (2014 est.) | $38,500 (2013 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

7.7% (2016 est.) | 1.7% (2015 est.) | -0.8% (2014 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA | highest 10%: NA

Imports

$783.5 million (2015 est.) | $866.1 million (2014 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

Denmark 69.7%, Sweden 10.6% (2017)

Industrial production growth rate

NA

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

0.3% (January 2017 est.) | 1.2% (January 2016 est.)

Labor force

26,840 (2015 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 15.9% | industry: 10.1% | services: 73.9% (2015 est.)

Population below poverty line

16.2% (2015 est.)

Public debt

13% of GDP (2015 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

77.4% (of GDP) (2016 est.)

Unemployment rate

9.1% (2015 est.) | 10.3% (2014 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

613,800 Mt (2017 est.)

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption

468 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

51% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

49% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

187,000 kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production

538 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2016)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

4,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

3,973 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2015 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

mean elevation: 1,792 m | elevation extremes: 0 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean | 3694 highest point: Gunnbjorn Fjeld

Environment - current issues

especially vulnerable to climate change and disruption 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 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 (this is almost 7% of all of the world's fresh water); if all this ice were converted to liquid water, one estimate is that it would be sufficient to raise the height of the world's oceans by 7.2 m (24 ft)

Irrigated land

NA

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

agricultural land: 0.6% (2011 est.) | arable land: 0% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 0% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 0.6% (2011 est.) | forest: 0% (2011 est.) | other: 99.4% (2011 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 Thule Air Base in Pituffik (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 (Godthaab) | 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 has four time zones

Citizenship

see Denmark

Constitution

previous 1953 (Greenland established as a constituency in the Danish constitution), 1979 (Greenland Home Rule Act); latest 21 June 2009 (Greenland Self-Government Act) (2018)

Country name

conventional long form: none | conventional short form: Greenland | local long form: none | local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat | note: named by Norwegian adventurer Erik THORVALDSSON (Erik the Red) in A.D. 985 in order to entice settlers to the island

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): note - Greenland has an office in the Danish Embassy to the US; it also has offices in the Danish consulates of Chicago and New York

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Mikaela ENGELL (since April 2011) | head of government: Premier Kim KIELSEN (since 30 September 2014) | cabinet: Self-rule Government (Naalakkersuisut) elected by the Parliament (Inatsisartut) on the basis of the strength of parties | elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by the monarch; premier indirectly elected by Parliament for a 4-year term | election results: 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% note - general election 24 April 2018 with KIELSEN (Siumut party) retaining largest number of seats (9)

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; the design represents the sun reflecting off a field of ice; the colors are the same as those of 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; foreign affairs is the responsibility of Denmark, but Greenland actively participates in international agreements relating to Greenland)

International organization participation

Arctic Council, ICC, NC, NIB, UPU

Judicial branch

highest courts: High Court of Greenland (consists of the presiding professional judge and 2 lay assessors); note - appeals beyond the High Court of Greenland can be heard by the Supreme Court (in Copenhagen) | judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the monarch upon 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

Legal system

the laws of Denmark apply where applicable and Greenlandic law applies to other areas

Legislative branch

description: unicameral Parliament or Inatsisartut (31 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms) (2013) | elections: last held on 24 April 2018 (next to be held by 2022) (2013) | election results: percent of vote by party - S 27.2%, IA 25.5%, D 19.5%, PN 13.4%, A 5.9%, SA 4.1%, NQ 3.4% other 1%; seats by party - S 9, IA 8, D 6, PN 4, A 2, SA 1, NQ 1 (2013) | note: 2 representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament on 18 June 2015 (next to be held by June 2019); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - IA 1, S 1

National anthem

name: "Nunarput utoqqarsuanngoravit" ("Our Country, Who's Become So Old" also translated as "You Our Ancient Land") | lyrics/music: Henrik LUND/Jonathan PETERSEN | note: adopted 1916; the government also recognizes "Nuna asiilasooq" as a secondary anthem

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; national colors: red, white

Political parties and leaders

Collabotation Party (Samarbejdspartiet) or SA [Tillie MARTINUSSEN] Democrats Party (Demokraatit) or D [Randi VESTERGAARD EVALDSEN] Forward Party (Siumut) or S [Kim KIELSEN] Inuit Community (Inuit Ataqatigiit) or IA [Sara OLSVIG] Nunatta Qitornai or NQ [Vittus QUJAUKITSOQ] Partii Naleraq or PN [Hans ENOKSEN] Solidarity Party (Atassut) or A [Siverth Karl HEILMANN]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

Greenland, the world's largest island, is about 79% ice-capped. Vikings reached the island in the 10th century from Iceland; Danish colonization began in the 18th century, and Greenland became an integral part of the Danish Realm 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 Overseas Countries and Territories Association of the EU. Greenland was granted self-government in 1979 by the Danish parliament; the law went into effect the following year. Greenland voted in favor of increased self-rule in November 2008 and acquired greater responsibility for internal affairs when the Act on Greenland Self-Government was signed into law in June 2009. 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

defense is the responsibility of Denmark

Military branches

no regular military forces or conscription; the Government of Denmark has responsibility for defense; as such the Danish military’s Joint Arctic Command in Nuuk is responsible for territorial defense of Greenland (2016)

Age structure

0-14 years: 21% (male 6,151 /female 5,962) | 15-24 years: 15.1% (male 4,388 /female 4,321) | 25-54 years: 40.83% (male 12,349 /female 11,209) | 55-64 years: 13.5% (male 4,259 /female 3,529) | 65 years and over: 9.57% (male 2,944 /female 2,579) (2018 est.) | population pyramid: The World Factbook Field Image Modal × North America :: Greenland Print Image Description This is the population pyramid for Greenland. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends. For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page under the References tab.

Birth rate

14.3 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Death rate

8.8 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: urban: 100% of population | rural: 100% of population | total: 100% of population | unimproved: urban: 0% of population | rural: 0% of population | total: 0% of population (2015 est.)

Ethnic groups

Greenlandic 89.6%, Danish 7.8%, other Nordic 1.1%, and other 1.4% (2018 est.) | note: data represent population by country of birth

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Hospital bed density

8.2 beds/1,000 population (2015)

Infant mortality rate

total: 8.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.) | male: 9.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.) | female: 7.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

Greenlandic (East Inuit) (official), Danish (official), English

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 72.9 years (2018 est.) | male: 70.2 years (2018 est.) | female: 75.8 years (2018 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.) | total population: 100% (2015 est.) | male: 100% (2015 est.) | female: 100% (2015 est.)

Major urban areas - population

18,000 NUUK (capital) (2018)

Median age

total: 34 years | male: 35 years | female: 32.9 years (2018 est.)

Nationality

noun: Greenlander(s) | adjective: Greenlandic

Net migration rate

-6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Physicians density

1.73 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

Population

57,691 (July 2018 est.)

Population distribution

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

Population growth rate

-0.04% (2018 est.)

Religions

Evangelical Lutheran, traditional Inuit spiritual beliefs

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 100% of population (2015 est.) | rural: 100% of population (2015 est.) | total: 100% of population (2015 est.) | unimproved: urban: 0% of population (2015 est.) | rural: 0% of population (2015 est.) | total: 0% of population (2015 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.) | 0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female (2017 est.) | 15-24 years: 1.02 male(s)/female (2017 est.) | 25-54 years: 1.1 male(s)/female (2017 est.) | 55-64 years: 1.26 male(s)/female (2017 est.) | 65 years and over: 1.15 male(s)/female (2017 est.) | total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.97 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 86.8% of total population (2018) | rate of urbanization: 0.42% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Disputes - international

managed dispute between Canada and Denmark over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Canada's Ellesmere Island and GreenlandDenmark (Greenland) and Norway have made submissions to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) and Russia is collecting additional data to augment its 2001 CLCS submission

Airports

15 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 10 (2017) | 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2017) | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2017) | 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2017) | under 914 m: 6 (2017)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 5 (2013) | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2013) | 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2013) | under 914 m: 2 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

OY-H (2016)

Merchant marine

total: 8 (2017) | by type: general cargo 1, other 7 (2017)

National air transport system

number of registered air carriers: 1 (registered in Denmark) (2015) | inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 8 (registered in Denmark) (2015)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s): Sisimiut

Roadways

note: although there are short roads in towns, there are no roads between towns; inter-urban transport is either by sea or by air