Greenland, the world's largest island, is located northeast of the North American Continent. The highest mountains are located in the east while a gradual slope to the coast causes glaciers to discharge icebergs into the sea. Both coasts are irregular and broken by numerous fjords. The coastal areas are the only regions suitable for human settlement. Greenland has a polar climate in the northern regions while the southwest coastal areas have a maritime climate with long cold winters and short cool summers.
Precipitation decreases from south to north.
The remainder are Europeans mostly Danes. Mostly Christians, either Lutheran or Moravian. The majority of the population speak Greenlandic which is the indigenous Eskimo language that includes many Danish words. Danish is also taught in schools. In 1953 the new Danish constitution changed Greenland from a colony to a province.