Data at glance of Greenland - average on period

History

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.

Environment

Area: 2,166,086 sq km km2

Climate: arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters

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

Ethnic characteristics

Groups: Greenlandic 88.1%, Danish 7.1%, Filipino 1.6%, other Nordic peoples 0.9%, and other 2.3% (2024 est.)

Languages:

Religions: Evangelical Lutheran, traditional Inuit spiritual beliefs

Government

Capital: Nuuk

Government type: parliamentary democracy (Parliament of Greenland or Inatsisartut)

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)

Legislative branch

Description: Parliament (Inatsisartut) - unicameral

Industries

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

GDP by sector: Agriculture: 16.6% (2023 est.), Industry: 18.4% (2023 est.), Services: 61% (2023 est.)

Trade

Export partners: Denmark 50%, China 23%, UK 5%, Japan 5%, Germany 3% (2023)

Export commodities: fish, shellfish, processed crustaceans, ships, precious stones (2023)

Import partners: Denmark 58%, Sweden 19%, Spain 8%, Iceland 7%, Canada 2% (2023)

Import commodities: refined petroleum, ships, garments, plastic products, furniture (2023)

Geography

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