Greenland

Greenland is an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark, and it is the world's largest island. Located between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, Greenland shares a small border with Canada on Hans Island. The capital and largest city is Nuuk.

Historically, Greenland has been inhabited for over 4,500 years by circumpolar peoples who migrated from Canada. Norsemen from Norway settled the southern part of Greenland in the 10th century, but their settlements disappeared in the late 15th century. In 1814, Greenland became part of Denmark, and in 1953, it was fully integrated into the Danish state. Today, Greenland has self-government, with its own local government called the Naalakkersuisut, though Denmark still controls citizenship, monetary policy, security, and foreign affairs.

Most people in Greenland are Inuit, and the population is very small, with only about 56,583 people living there in 2022. The island is sparsely populated, with most people living on the southwest coast. Greenland is socially progressive, offering free education and healthcare, and it has strong support for LGBTQ rights in Greenland. About 67% of its electricity comes from renewable energy, mainly from hydropower.

Etymology

The early Norse settlers named the island Greenland. According to stories, a man named Erik the Red chose this name when he settled there, hoping the friendly name would attract more people. In the Greenlandic language, the country is called Kalaallit Nunaat, meaning "land of the Kalaallit," which refers to the main group of Greenlandic Inuit who live in the western part of Greenland. The word Nunaat refers only to the land, not to the waters or ice around it.

History

Main article: History of Greenland

For a chronological guide, see Timeline of Greenland.

Early Palaeo-Inuit cultures

In prehistoric times, Greenland was home to several successive Palaeo-Inuit cultures known primarily through archaeological finds. The earliest entry of the Palaeo-Inuit into Greenland is thought to have occurred about 2500 BC. From about 2500 BC to 800 BC, southern and western Greenland was inhabited by the Saqqaq culture. Most finds of remains from that period have been around Disko Bay, including the site of Saqqaq, for which the culture is named.

From 2400 BC to 1300 BC, the Independence I culture existed in northern Greenland. It was a part of the Arctic small-tool tradition. Towns including Deltaterrasserne appeared. About 800 BC the Saqqaq culture disappeared, and the Early Dorset culture emerged in western Greenland and the Independence II culture in northern Greenland. The people of the Dorset culture lived mainly by hunting seals and reindeer.

Norse settlement

Main article: Norse settlements in Greenland

From 986, the west coast was settled by Icelanders and Norwegians, through a contingent of 14 boats led by Erik the Red. They formed three settlements – the Eastern Settlement, the Western Settlement, and the Middle Settlement – on fjords near the southwestern tip of the island. They shared the island with the late Dorset culture inhabitants, who occupied the northern and western parts, and later with those of the Thule culture who entered from the north. Norse Greenlanders submitted to Norwegian rule in 1261 under the Kingdom of Norway. The Kingdom of Norway entered a personal union with Denmark in 1380, and from 1397 was a part of the Kalmar Union.

These Norse settlements vanished during the 14th and early 15th centuries. The demise of the Western Settlement coincides with a decrease in summer and winter temperatures. The Eastern Settlement was probably abandoned in the early to mid-15th century, during this cold period.

Thule culture

The Thule people are the ancestors of the current Greenlandic population. The Thule culture migrated eastward from what is now known as Alaska around 1000 AD, reaching Greenland around 1300. The Thule culture was the first to introduce technological innovations such as dog sleds and toggling harpoons to Greenland.

European interest

In 1500, King Manuel I of Portugal sent Gaspar Corte-Real to Greenland in search of a Northwest Passage to Asia which, according to the Treaty of Tordesillas, was part of Portugal's sphere of influence. In 1501, Corte-Real returned with his brother, Miguel Corte-Real. Upon the brothers' return to Portugal, the cartographic information supplied by Corte-Real was incorporated into a map of the world which was presented to Ercole I d'Este, Duke of Ferrara, by Alberto Cantino in 1502. The Cantino planisphere, made in Lisbon, accurately depicts the southern coastline of Greenland.

In 1605–1607, King Christian IV of Denmark and Norway sent a series of expeditions to Greenland and Arctic waterways to locate the lost eastern Norse settlement and assert Danish-Norwegian sovereignty over Greenland.

Treaty of Kiel to World War II (1814–1945)

See also: Greenland in World War II

When the union between the crowns of Denmark and Norway was dissolved in 1814, the Treaty of Kiel severed Norway's former colonies and left them under the control of the Danish monarch. Norway occupied the uninhabited eastern Greenland as Erik the Red's Land in July 1931, claiming that it constituted _terra nullius. Norway and Denmark agreed to submit the matter in 1933 to the Permanent Court of International Justice, which decided against Norway.

Greenland's connection to Denmark was severed on 9 April 1940, early in World War II, after Denmark was occupied by Nazi Germany. On 8 April 1941, the United States occupied Greenland to defend it against a possible invasion by Germany. The United States' occupation of Greenland continued until 1945.

United States and the Cold War

The United States offered to buy Greenland from Denmark for US$100 million in 1946 (equivalent to US$1.7 billion in 2025). Denmark firmly rejected the offer, as the island was seen as an integral part of the Danish kingdom, important to its history and national identity. In 1951 Denmark and the United States signed the Greenland Defense Agreement, which allowed the United States to keep its military bases in Greenland, and to establish new bases or "defence areas" if Denmark agreed, and if deemed necessary by NATO.

The United States greatly expanded Thule Air Base between 1951 and 1953 as part of a unified NATO defence strategy.

Home rule and self-rule (1945–present)

The first step towards a change of government was initiated with the Greenland Commission, which operated from 1948 to 1950. With its final report, the G-50, the first steps toward the modernization of Greenland were taken. The report recommended that Greenland become a modern welfare state, modelled after Denmark proper and with Denmark's development as sponsor, and the trade monopoly was abolished.

With the 1953 Danish constitution, Greenland's colonial status ended, and the island was incorporated into the Danish realm as an amt ('county'), and thus fully integrated into Denmark like all other Danish counties. Danish citizenship was extended to Greenlanders.

In 1973, an amicable border dispute between Denmark and Canada arose over the ownership of Hans Island, a small island in Nares Strait directly between Greenland and the Canadian Northwest Territories (in present-day Nunavut). The island remained in dispute until 2022, when both countries agreed to split the disputed island roughly in half. Due to political complications in relation to Denmark's entry into the European Common Market in 1972, Denmark began to seek a different status for Greenland, resulting in the Home Rule Act of 1979. A referendum was held on 17 January 1979. This gave Greenland limited autonomy, with its own legislature taking control of some internal policies, while the Parliament of Denmark maintained full control of external policies, security, and natural resources. The law came into effect on 1 May 1979. The Danish monarch remains Greenland's head of state.

As in metropolitan Denmark, Greenland has seen significant expansion of the welfare state in the postwar era. Education and healthcare are free, and LGBTQ rights in Greenland are some of the most extensive in the Americas and the world. In 1987, the University of Greenland was founded to provide Greenlanders with higher education in their own language and country.

Greenland voters approved a referendum on greater autonomy on 25 November 2008. On 21 June 2009, Greenland gained self-rule with provisions for assuming responsibility for self-government of its judicial affairs, policing matters, and natural resources. Also, Greenlanders were recognized as a separate people under international law. Denmark maintains control of the territory's foreign affairs and defence matters, and upholds an annual block grant of 3.2 billion kr.. As Greenland begins to collect revenues from its natural resources, this grant will gradually be diminished; this is generally considered to be a step toward the territory's eventual full independence from Denmark. In 2009, Greenlandic was declared the sole official language of Greenland at a historic ceremony.

Geography

Main articles: Geography of Greenland and Climate of Greenland

See also: Climate of the Arctic § Greenland, Administrative divisions of Greenland, and Territorial claims in the Arctic

Greenland is the world's largest non-continental island and lies between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Greenland Sea to the east, and the North Atlantic Ocean to the southeast. The nearest countries are Canada to the west and Iceland to the southeast.

The Greenland ice sheet covers most of the island, with the highest point being Gunnbjørn Fjeld at 3,700 m (12,100 ft). The climate varies, with the lowest temperature ever recorded in the Northern Hemisphere being near the summit of the Greenland ice sheet. Towns and settlements are located along the ice-free coast, mainly on the west coast. The northeastern part of Greenland is home to Northeast Greenland National Park, the world's largest national park.

Government and politics

Main article: Politics of Greenland

See also: 2025 Greenlandic general election, Greenland and the European Union, and Politics of Denmark

The government of Greenland, called Naalakkersuisut, handles local affairs. The leader of this government is known as the Premier. Greenland has its own parliament, called Inatsisartut, which has 31 members.

Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, with King Frederik X as the head of state. While the king’s role is mostly ceremonial today, Denmark still has some control over Greenland. Greenland has grown more independent over time, especially after laws passed in 2009 allowed it to manage more areas of its own.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Greenland

Greenland's economy depends heavily on financial aid from Denmark, which covers about a third of its public revenue. Fishing is the most important industry, making up over 90% of the country's exports. Shrimp and fish are the main products, and fishing is carefully managed to protect the environment.

Greenland has plenty of minerals, but mining has not been very successful. The country gets most of its electricity from hydropower, and there are plans to build more to support industries like aluminium production. The public sector, helped by money from Denmark, is a big part of the economy. Despite challenges like the pandemic, Greenland's economy has done well in recent years thanks to strong fishing and good infrastructure investments.

Transport

Main articles: Transport in Greenland and List of airports in Greenland

Air travel is the main way to get around Greenland, both within the country and to other places. There are also boats, but they take a long time because Greenland is so big and has many fjords. There are very few roads between towns, with the only one being a short gravel road between two small places. Most airports have short runways and can only handle small planes. Nuuk Airport is the main gateway for flights, and Air Greenland is the country's airline.

Tourism

Tourism in Greenland grew a lot between 2015 and 2019, but it slowed down during the COVID-19 pandemic. Greenland wants to grow tourism in a way that is good for the environment and lasts a long time.

Mining

Greenland has many minerals, but it is hard to mine them because of the weather and the strong care for the environment. Only a few mines are active, and experts think mining will not become a big part of the economy for many years. Some mining of ruby and gold has happened, but it is still small.

Demographics

For statistics on demographics, see Demographics of Greenland.

See also: List of Greenlanders, Greenlandic Inuit, and Danish people in Greenland

Population

In 2025, Greenland had a population of 56,542. Most people live along the fjords in the south-west of the main island, where the climate is milder. The population is mostly Greenlandic Inuit, with many also having Danish or other European ancestry.

Languages

Greenlandic became the official language in 2009, and most people speak it along with Danish. Danish is still used in schools and jobs. English is also taught in schools.

Religion

Most people in Greenland follow Protestantism, mainly through the Church of Denmark. There are also small groups of other Christian denominations, followers of Inuit religion, and people with no religious beliefs.

Education

Education in Greenland is similar to Denmark’s. Children go to school for ten years, and there are options for further training or university. The main university is in Nuuk. Many students also go to universities in Denmark.

Culture

See also: Human rights in Denmark § Indigenous rights

Greenlandic culture mixes traditional Inuit traditions with Scandinavian influences. The Inuit, or Kalaallit, have a rich artistic history, creating special carvings called tupilak from materials like sperm whale ivory. Their art includes unique sculptures that tell stories of spirits and myths.

Music in Greenland also blends old and new styles. Traditional Inuit drum dances and songs, known as qilaatersorneq, are important cultural practices. Today, Greenland has many modern musicians and bands, such as Sumé and Nanook, who perform in Greenlandic and celebrate their heritage. Sport is also a big part of life in Greenland, with popular activities including association football, handball, and skiing. Handball is often called the national sport.