Greenland

**Greenland** is the world's largest island. Greenland is a self-governing territory of the kingdom of Denmark. This large Arctic island is near two countries, Iceland to the east and Canada to the west. The island is geographically part of North America but the culture is more closely related to Denmark. It has a population of only 50,000 people, limited by its cold climate. Most people live in the southern part of the island, on the coasts.  The capital of Greenland is Nuuk.

The island is democratic, with its own elections and a representative seat of government in Nuuk. It is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, a constitutional monarchy with Frederik X as head of state. Greenland has two members in Denmark's Folketing.

The island's Thule Air Base is under Danish control, but is administered by the United States Air Force.

The island is the least densely populated country in the world, with a density of 0.026 people per square kilometer. Antarctica is not counted because it is not an independent country and has no permanent inhabitants.
The ice sheet that covers Greenland may hide three separate islands, which have been joined by glaciers since the last geologic ice age.

In Greenland, there are no forests. In the south, at the coastal area, only some dwarf trees are found.

## History

Greenland has been inhabited at intervals over at least the last 4,500 years by Arctic peoples. They came from what is now Canada. Norsemen settled the uninhabited southern part of Greenland beginning in the 10th century, having previously settled Iceland.

Norsemen would later set sail from Greenland and Iceland with Leif Erikson. They were the first known Europeans to reach North America. They did so nearly 500 years before Columbus reached the Caribbean islands. Inuit peoples arrived in Greenland in the 13th century. Though under continuous influence of Norway and Norwegians, Greenland was not formally under the Norwegian crown until 1261. Their colonies declined after the Black Death in the late 1400s. Denmark–Norway, joined in alliance at the time, reclaimed sovereignty over the island in the 17th century. Greenland became Danish in 1814.

## Languages

The island is populated mostly by Inuit and Scandinavians who speak Greenlandic, an Eskimo-Aleut language. Danish is also spoken by most people. The national anthem of Greenland is Nunarput utoqqarsuanngoravit. Greenlandic became the sole official language in June 2009. However, it is the dialect of western Greenland, leaving other dialects to become less used and endangered. Danish is used in practice by professional people and by many of the Inuit population. English is taught in schools from the first year onwards.

### Administrative divisions

Until 2009, there were 20 communes in Greenland. Unless stated otherwise, they are in the district Kitaa:
- Nanortalik
- Qaqortoq
- Narsaq
- Ivittuut
- Paamiut
- Nuuk
- Maniitsoq
- Sisimiut
- Kangaatsiaq
- Aasiaat
- Qasigiannguit
- Ilulissat
- Qeqertarsuaq
- Uummannaq
- Upernavik
- Ammassalik (District Tunu)
- Ittoqqortoormiit (District Tunu)
- Qaanaaq (District Avannaa).

This changed on January 1st, 2009, when these were merged into four large communes:
- Kommune Kujalleq (7.755 inhabitants)
- Qaasuitsup Kommunia (17.867)
- Qeqqata Kommunia (9.627) und
- Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq (20.998).

In addition, some parts of Greenland are outside a commune, namely:
- Northeast Greenland National Park
- Thule Air Base
As of January 1st, 2008, 218 people lived there.

## Landscape

The island has many mountains. Gunnbjorn Fjeld is the tallest mountain Greenland. All of the cities are on the coast, because everywhere else is covered by a big layer of ice. The major cities are Nuuk, Sisimiut, Ilulissat, and Qaqortoq.

## Climate

The coasts of Greenland are tundras. Away from the coast, it is considered an ice cap. Summers in Greenland are short and cool while winters are long.

## Related pages

- Greenland crisis
- List of towns in Greenland

## Other websites

- Greenland Homerule  - Official site
- Images of Greenland

## Infobox (dependency)

- **name**: Greenland
- **native name**:

- **settlement type**: The unity of the Realm, Autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark
- **image flag**: Flag of Greenland.svg
- **flag size**: 125px
- **flag link**: Flag of Greenland
- **image seal**: Coat of arms Greenland.svg
- **seal size**: 85px
- **seal type**: Coat of arms
- **seal link**: Coat of arms of Greenland
- **anthem**:
()

- **song type**: Kalaallit anthem
- **song**:
()
- **image map**: Greenland (orthographic projection).svg
- **map caption**: Location of Greenland
- **mapsize**: 290px
- **image map2**: Greenland in the Kingdom of Denmark (globe zoom).svg
- **mapsize2**: 290px
- **subdivision type**: Sovereign state
- **subdivision name**: Kingdom of Denmark
- **established title**: Kingdom of Norway (872–1397), Union with Norway
- **established date**: 1262
- **established title2**: Dano-Norwegian empire, Danish-Norwegian recolonization
- **established date2**: 1721
- **established title3**: Treaty of Kiel, Cession to Denmark
- **established date3**: 14 January 1814
- **established title4**: Home rule
- **established date4**: 1 May 1979
- **established title5**: Further autonomy and self rule
- **established date5**: 21 June 2009
- **official languages**: Greenlandic language, Greenlandic

- **languages type**: Recognised languages
- **languages**: Danish language, Danish, English Language, English and other languages if necessary
- **capital**: Nuuk
- **largest city**: capital
- **ethnic groups year**: 2018
- **religion**: Christianity (Church of Greenland)
- **government type**: Devolution, Devolved government within a Parliamentary system, parliamentary constitutional monarchy
- **leader title1**: Monarchy of Denmark, Monarch
- **leader name1**: Frederik X
- **leader name2**: Julie Præst Wilche
- **leader title3**: List of Prime Ministers of Greenland, Premier
- **leader name3**: Múte Bourup Egede
- **leader title4**: List of Speakers of the Inatsisartut, Speaker of the _Inatsisartut_
- **leader name4**: Mimi Karlsen
- **legislature**: Parliament of Greenland, _Inatsisartut_
- **national representation type1**: _Folketing_
- **national representation1**: List of members of the Folketing, 2019–2023, 2 members
- **area km2**: 2,166,086
- **area sq mi**: 836,109
- **percent water**: 83.1
- **elevation max m**: 3,700
- **population estimate**: 56,081
- **population estimate year**: 2020
- **population estimate rank**: 210th
- **population density km2**: 0.028
- **population density sq mi**: 0.069
- **gdp ppp**: $1.8 billion
- **gdp ppp year**: 2011
- **gdp ppp rank**: not ranked
- **gdp ppp per capita**: $37,000
- **gdp ppp per capita rank**: 40-th
- **hdi**: 0.786
- **hdi year**: 2010
- **hdi change**: increase
- **hdi rank**: 61st
- **currency**: Danish krone
- **currency code**: DKK
- **utc offset list**: UTC±00:00 to UTC-04:00
- **date format**: dd-mm-yyyy
- **drives on**: right
- **calling code**: Telephone numbers in Greenland, +299
- **postal code type**: List of postal codes in Greenland, Postal codes
- **postal code**: 39xx
- **iso code**: ISO 3166-2:GL, GL
- **cctld**: .gl