GREENLAND
(part of the Danish realm)
GEOGRAPHY
Total area: 2,175,600 km2; land area: 341,700 km2 (ice free)
Comparative area: slightly more than three times the size of Texas
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 44,087 km
Maritime claims:
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 3 nm
Disputes: Denmark has challenged Norway's maritime claims between
Greenland and Jan Mayen
Climate: arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters
Terrain: flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow,
mountainous, barren, rocky coast
Natural resources: zinc, lead, iron ore, coal, molybdenum,
cryolite, uranium, fish
Land use: arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures
1%; forest and woodland NEGL%; other 99%
Environment: sparse population confined to small settlements along
coast; continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island
Note: dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and
Europe
PEOPLE
Population: 56,752 (July 1991), growth rate 1.2% (1991)
Birth rate: 20 births/1,000 population (1991)
Death rate: 8 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
Infant mortality rate: 28 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
Life expectancy at birth: 63 years male, 69 years female (1991)
Total fertility rate: 2.2 children born/woman (1991)
Nationality: noun--Greenlander(s); adjective--Greenlandic
Ethnic divisions: Greenlander (Eskimos and Greenland-born
Caucasians) 86%, Danish 14%
Religion: Evangelical Lutheran
Language: Eskimo dialects, Danish
Literacy: NA% (male NA%, female NA%)
Labor force: 22,800; largely engaged in fishing, hunting, sheep
breeding
Organized labor: NA
GOVERNMENT
Long-form name: none
Type: part of the Danish realm; self-governing overseas
administrative division
Capital: Nuuk (Godthab)
Administrative divisions: 3 municipalities (kommuner,
singular--kommun); Nordgronland, Ostgronland, Vestgronland
Independence: part of the Danish realm; self-governing overseas
administrative division
Constitution: Danish
Legal system: Danish
National holiday: Birthday of the Queen, 16 April (1940)
Executive branch: Danish monarch, high commissioner, home rule
chairman, prime minister, Cabinet (Landsstyre)
Legislative branch: unicameral Landsting
Judicial branch: High Court (Landsret)
Leaders:
Chief of State--Queen MARGRETHE II (since 14 January 1972),
represented by High Commissioner Bent KLINTE (since NA);
Head of Government--Home Rule Chairman Lars Emil JOHANSEN
(since 15 March 1991)
Political parties and leaders: two-party ruling
coalition--Siumut (a moderate socialist party that advocates more
distinct Greenlandic identity and greater autonomy from Denmark), Lars
Emil JOHANSEN, chairman; and Inuit Ataqatigiit (IA; a Marxist-Leninist
party that favors complete independence from Denmark rather than home
rule);
Atassut Party (a more conservative party that favors continuing close
relations with Denmark), leader NA;
Polar Party (conservative-Greenland nationalist), leader NA;
Center Party (a new nonsocialist protest party), leader NA
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections:
Landsting--last held on 5 March 1991 (next to be held 5 March
1995);
results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(27 total) Siumut 11, Atassut Party 8, Inuit Ataqatigiit
5, Center Party 2, Polar Party 1;
Danish Folketing--last held on 12 December 1990 (next to be held by
December 1994); Greenland elects two representatives to the Folketing;
results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(2 total) Siumut 1, Atassut 1
Member of: NC
Diplomatic representation: none (self-governing overseas
administrative division of Denmark)
Flag: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a
large disk slightly to the hoist side of center--the top half of the
disk is red, the bottom half is white
ECONOMY
Overview: Over the past 25 years, the economy has changed from
one based on subsistence whaling, hunting, and fishing to one dependent
on foreign trade. Fishing is still the most important industry,
accounting for over 75% of exports and about 25% of the
population's income. Maintenance of a social welfare system similar to
Denmark's has given the public sector a dominant role in the economy.
In 1990, the economy became critically dependent on shrimp exports and an
annual subsidy (now about $355 million) from the Danish Government
because cod exports had fallen, the zinc and lead mine closed, and
a large promising platinum and gold mine was not yet operational.
Greenland has signed a contract for its largest construction project,
a power plant to supply the capital. To avoid a decline in the economy,
Denmark has agreed to pay 75% of the costs of running Sondrestrom
Airbase and Kulusuk Airfield as civilian bases after the US withdraws
in 1992.
GNP: $500 million, per capita $9,000; real growth rate 5% (1988)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.4% (1989)
Unemployment rate: 9% (1990 est.)
Budget: revenues $381 million; expenditures $381 million, including
capital expenditures of $36 million (1989)
Exports: $417 million (f.o.b., 1989 est.);
commodities--fish and fish products 78%, metallic ores and
concentrates 19%;
partners--Denmark 74%, FRG 11%, Sweden 6%
Imports: $394 million (c.i.f., 1989 est.);
commodities--manufactured goods 36%, machinery and transport
equipment 26%, food products 13%, petroleum and petroleum products
10%;
partners--Denmark 69%, Norway, FRG, Japan, US, Sweden
External debt: $480 million (1990 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate NA%
Electricity: 84,000 kW capacity; 176 million kWh produced,
3,180 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: fish processing (mainly shrimp), potential for
platinum and gold mining, handicrafts, shipyards
Agriculture: sector dominated by fishing and sheep raising; crops
limited to forage and small garden vegetables; 1988 fish catch of 133,500
metric tons
Economic aid: none
Currency: Danish krone (plural--kroner); 1 Danish krone (DKr)
= 100 ore
Exchange rates: Danish kroner (DKr) per US$1--5.817 (January 1991),
6.189 (1990), 7.310 (1989), 6.732 (1988), 6.840 (1987), 8.091 (1986),
10.596 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
COMMUNICATIONS
Highways: 80 km
Ports: Kangerluarsoruseq (Faeringehavn), Paamiut (Frederikshaab),
Nuuk (Godthaab), Sisimiut (Holsteinsborg), Julianehaab, Maarmorilik,
North Star Bay
Merchant marine: 1 refrigerated cargo (1,000 GRT or over) totaling
1,021 GRT/1,778 DWT; note--operates under the registry of Denmark
Civil air: 2 major transport aircraft
Airports: 11 total, 8 usable; 5 with permanent-surface runways;
none with runways over 3,659 m; 2 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; 17,900 telephones; stations--5 AM,
7 (35 relays) FM, 4 (9 relays) TV; 2 coaxial submarine cables; 1 Atlantic
Ocean INTELSAT earth station
DEFENSE FORCES
Note: defense is responsibility of Denmark