Greenland
Capital: Nuuk (Godthab)
History
Greenland, the world's largest island, is about 81% ice capped. Vikings reached the island in the 10th century from Iceland; Danish colonization began in the 18th century, and Greenland was made an integral part 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 was granted self-government in 1979 by the Danish parliament; the law went into effect the following year. Greenland voted in favor of increased self-rule in November 2008 and acquired greater responsibility for internal affairs when the Act on Greenland Self-Government was signed into law in June 2009. Denmark, however, continues to exercise control of Greenland's foreign affairs, security, and financial policy in consultation with Greenland's Home Rule Government.
Geography
Metric Units
|
Total Area
|
2,166,086
sq km
|
| Land Boundaries |
No data
km
|
| Border Countries |
No data |
| Coastline |
No data
km
|
| Terrain |
flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow, mountainous, barren, rocky coast |
| Minimum Elevation |
No data
m
|
| Maximum Elevation |
No data
m
|
| 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 |
| Arable Land |
No data% |
| Permanent Crops |
No data% |
Economy
Budget & Debt
Trade
| Exports |
$No data |
| Export Items |
No data |
| Export Partners |
No data |
| Imports |
$No data |
| Import Items |
No data |
| Import Partners |
No data |
People
Energy
