Greenland (part of the Kingdom of Denmark)

§1. Greenland Introduction

Background:
  The world's largest island, about 84% ice-capped, Greenland was granted
  self-government in 1978 by the Danish parliament. The law went into effect
  the following year. Denmark continues to exercise control of Greenland's
  foreign affairs.

§2. Greenland Geography

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

Geographic coordinates:
  72 00 N, 40 00 W

Map references:
  Arctic Region

Area:
  total: 2,175,600 kmē
  land: 2,175,600 kmē (341,700 kmē ice-free, 1,833,900 kmē ice-covered)
    (est.)

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than three times the size of Texas

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  44,087 km

Maritime claims:
  continental shelf: 200 NM or agreed boundaries or median line
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM or agreed boundaries or median line
  territorial sea: 3 NM

Climate:
  arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters

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

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

Natural resources:
  zinc, lead, iron ore, coal, molybdenum, gold, platinum, uranium, fish,
  seals, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas

Land use:
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  permanent pastures: 1%
  forests and woodland: 0%
  other: 99% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
  NA kmē

Natural hazards:
  continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island

Environment - current issues:
  protection of the arctic environment; preservation of the Inuit traditional
  way of life, including whaling and seal hunting

Geography - note:
  dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe; sparse
  population confined to small settlements along coast, but close to
  one-quarter of the population lives in the capital, Nuuk; world's second
  largest ice cap

§3. Greenland People

Population:
  56,352 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 26.69% (male 7,649; female 7,392)
  15-64 years: 67.87% (male 20,868; female 17,376)
  65 years and over: 5.44% (male 1,385; female 1,682) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.06% (2001 est.)

Birth rate:
  16.52 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate:
  7.58 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -8.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.2 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.13 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  17.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 68.37 years male: 64.82 years
  female: 72.01 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.44 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  100 (1999)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Greenlander(s)
  adjective: Greenlandic

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

Religions:
  Evangelical Lutheran

Languages:
  Greenlandic (East Inuit), Danish, English

Literacy:
  definition: NA
  total population: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%
  note: similar to Denmark proper

§4. Greenland Government

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

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy

Capital:
  Nuuk (Godthab)

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

Independence:
  none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas
  administrative division of Denmark since 1979)
  note: foreign affairs is the responsibility of Denmark, but Greenland
    actively participates in international agreements relating to Greenland

National holiday:
  June 21 (longest day)

Constitution:
  5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)

Legal system:
  Danish

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972),
    represented by High Commissioner Gunnar MARTENS (since NA 1995)
  head of government: Prime Minister Jonathan MOTZFELDT (since 19 September
    1997)
  cabinet: Home Rule Government is elected by the Parliament (Landstinget) on
    the basis of the strength of parties
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by the
    monarch; prime minister is elected by Parliament (usually the leader of
    the majority party); election last held 16 February 1999 (next to be held
    NA February 2003)
  election results: Jonathan MOTZFELDT reelected prime minister following the
    16 February 1999 elections; percent of parliamentary vote - 57.3%
  note: government coalition - Siumut and Inuit Ataqatigiit (IA)

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 16 February 1999 (next to be held by NA February
    2003)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Siumut 35.2%, Inuit
    Ataqatigiit 22.1%, Atassut Party 25.2%, Candidate's League 12.3%,
    independent 5.2%; seats by party - Siumut 11, Atassut 8, Inuit
    Ataqatigiit 7, Candidate List 4, independent 1
  note: two representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament or
    Folketing on 11 March 1998 (next to be held by not later than March
    2002); percent of vote by party - Siumut 35.6%, Atassut 35.2%; seats by
    party - Siumut 1, Atassut 1; Greenlandic representatives are affiliated
    with Danish political parties (Siamut with Social Democratic Party and
    Atassut with Liberal Party)

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)

Political parties and leaders:
  Akulliit Party [Bjarne KREUTZMANN]; Atassut Party (Solidarity, a
  conservative party favoring continuing close relations with Denmark)
  [Daniel SKIFTE]; Inuit Ataqatigiit or IA (Eskimo Brotherhood, a leftist
  party favoring complete independence from Denmark rather than home rule)
  [Josef MOTZFELDT]; Issituup (Polar Party) [Nicolai HEINRICH];
  Kattusseqatigiit (Candidate List, an independent right-of-center party with
  no official platform [leader NA]; Siumut (Forward Party, a social
  democratic party advocating more distinct Greenlandic identity and greater
  autonomy from Denmark) [Jonathan MOTZFELDT]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ICC, NC, NIB

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

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

§5. Greenland Economy

Economy - overview:
  The economy remains critically dependent on exports of fish and substantial
  support 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. Despite several
  interesting hydrocarbon and minerals exploration activities, it will take
  several years before production can materialize. Tourism is the only sector
  offering any near-term potential, and even this is limited due to a short
  season and high costs.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $1.1 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $20,000 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: NA% industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.6% (1999 est.)

Labor force:
  24,500 (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  7% (1999 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $646 million
  expenditures: $629 million, including capital expenditures of $85 million
    (1999)

Industries:
  fish processing (mainly shrimp and Greenland halibut), handicrafts, furs,
  small shipyards

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  250 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source:
  fossil fuel: 41% hydro: 59%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0%
  note: Greenland is shifting its electricity production from fossil fuel to
    hydroelectric power production (1999)

Electricity - consumption:
  232.5 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products:
  forage crops, garden and greenhouse vegetables; sheep, reindeer; fish

Exports:
  $276 million (f.o.b., 1999)

Exports - commodities:
  fish and fish products 94%

Exports - partners:
  EU (mainly Denmark) 85%, Japan 8%, US 2% (1999)

Imports:
  $400 million (c.i.f., 1999)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, petroleum
  products

Imports - partners:
  EU (mostly Denmark), Norway, US, Canada

Debt - external:
  $25 million (1999)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $380 million subsidy from Denmark (1999)

Currency:
  Danish krone (DKK)

Currency code:
  DKK

Exchange rates:
  Danish kroner per US dollar - 7.951 (January 2001), 8.083 (2000), 6.976
  (1999), 6.701 (1998), 6.604 (1997), 5.799 (1996)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

§6. Greenland Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  25,617 (end 1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  12,676 (end 1999)

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: satellite earth stations - 12 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 2
    Americom GE-2 (all Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 5, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  30,000 (1998 est.)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 publicly-owned station, some local low-power stations, and three AFRTS
  (US Air Force) stations (1997)

Televisions:
  30,000 (1998 est.)

Internet country code:
  .gl

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  4,008 (1999)

§7. Greenland Transportation

Railways:
  0 km

Highways:
  total: 150 km
  paved: 60 km
  unpaved: 90 km

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  Aasiaat (Egedesminde), Ilulissat (Jakobshavn), Kangerlussuaq, Nanortalik,
  Narsarsuaq, Nuuk (Godthab), Qaqortoq (Julianehab), Sisimiut
  (Holsteinsborg), Tasiilaq (March 2001)

Merchant marine:
  total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,289 GRT/1,500 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 1, passenger 1 (2000 est.)

Airports:
  13 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 8 over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 4 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.)

§8. Greenland Military

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of Denmark

§9. Greenland Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  none
