# The World Factbook (1982)/Greenland
## GREENLANDGREENLAND

* (See reference map II)

### LANDLAND

2,175,600 km$^2$; less than 1% arable (of which only a fraction cultivated), 84% permanent ice and snow, 15% other

### WATERWATER

Limits of territorial waters (claimed): 3 nm (fishing 200 nm)
Coastline: approx. 44,087 km, (includes minor islands)

### PEOPLEPEOPLE

Population: 51,000 (July 1982) ?? annual growth rate 0.6%
Nationality: noun—Greenlander(s); adjective—Greenlandic
Ethnic divisions: 86% Greenlander (Eskimos and Greenland-born whites), 14% Danes
Religion: Evangelical Lutheran
Language: Danish, Eskimo dialects
Literacy: 99%
Labor force: 12,000; largely engaged in fishing and sheep breeding

### GOVERNMENTGOVERNMENT

Official name: Greenland
Type: province of Kingdom of Denmark; two representatives in Danish parliament; separate Minister for Greenland in the Danish Cabinet
Capital: Godthab (administrative center)
Political subdivisions: 3 counties, 19 communes
Legal system: Danish law; transformed from colony to province in 1953; limited home rule began in spring 1979
Branches: legislative authorityjests jointly with the elected 21-seat Landsting and Danish parliament; executive power vested in Premier and four-person council; 19 lower courts
Government leaders: Queen MARGRETHE II, Premier Jonathan MOTZFELDT ​Suffrage: universal, but not compulsory, over age 21
Elections: held every four years
Political parties: Siumut—leading party in present government with 13 seats (moderate socialist, advocating more distinct Greenland identity and greater autonomy from Denmark); the Atassut Party, which controls the remaining eight seats, is more conservative, favors continuing close relations with Denmark and the EC; Sulissartut Partiat, the political wing of the Greenland labor movement; and the Inuit Atagatigik, a Marxist-Leninist party favoring complete independence from Denmark rather than home rule

### ECONOMYECONOMY

GNP: included in that of Denmark
Agriculture: arable areas largely in hay; sheep grazing; garden produce
Fishing: catch 82,000 tons (1979); exports $53.7 million (1978)
Major industries: mining, slaughtering, fishing, sealing
Electric power: 77,000 kW capacity (1980); 125 million k Wh produced (1980), 2,500 k Wh per capita
Exports: $101.4 million (f.o.b., 1978); fish and fish products, metallic ores and concentrates
Imports: $177.8 million (c.i.f., 1978); petroleum and petroleum products, machinery and transport equipment, food products
Major trade partners: (1978) Denmark 67.2%, US 7.9%, Finland 5.3%, West Germany 5.3%, UK 5.3%
Monetary conversion rate: 5.6359 Danish Kroner=US$1 (1980)
Fiscal year: calendar year beginning 1 January 1979

### COMMUNICATIONSCOMMUNICATIONS

Railroads: none
Highways: 80 km
Ports: 7 major, 16 minor
Civil air: 2 major transport aircraft
Airfields: 12 total, 7 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways; 3 with runways 2,440-3,659 m, 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: adequate domestic and international service provided by cables and radio relay; 9,000 telephones (18.4 per 100 popl.); 9 AM, 11 FM, and 2 TV stations; 2 coaxial submarine cables; 1 Atlantic Ocean satellite station

### DEFENSE FORCESDEFENSE FORCES

Military manpower: included with Denmark