Hans Island, an uninhabited island located between Canada’s Ellesmere Island and Greenland (an autonomous territory of Denmark), was the center of a “whiskey war” between Canada and Denmark from 1984 to 2022. The island was named for Greenlandic Inuk explorer Hans Hendrik, who was part of the 1853 expedition that established Denmark’s claim to the barren 130 h (320 acre) island. Canada operated a scientific station there during World War II, and a Canadian oil company later operated nearby. In 1984, the Danish prime minister planted a flag on the island, prompting the Canadians to plant their flag – and leave a bottle of whiskey for the Danes. The Danes reciprocated with a flag-raising and a bottle of schnapps for the Canadians. This “war” lasted until an agreement in 2022 that split the island in half was sealed with a final exchange of spirits.
Pictured is the calving front of Kangerdlugssup Glacier in central west Greenland, where large chunks of ice break off from the glaciers to form icebergs. Several large icebergs in the fjord are shown here, surrounded by the dense mixture of iceberg bits and floating sea ice that is known as the “mélange.” Credit: NASA/Michael Studinger.
The Steensby Glacier in norothern Greenland flows around a sharp bend in a deep canyon. The glacier is located at 81 degrees north in Nyboe Land and flows into the St. Georges Fjord. Credit: NASA/Michael Studinger.
View of Qaqortoq from the sea. Founded in 1775, the town -- the largest in south Greenland -- has 3,200 inhabitants and is a cultural and commercial center of the region.
Carvings in Qaqortoq, Greenland.
Carvings in Qaqortoq, Greenland.
Hans Island, an uninhabited island located between Canada’s Ellesmere Island and Greenland (an autonomous territory of Denmark), was the center of a “whiskey war” between Canada and Denmark from 1984 to 2022. The island was named for Greenlandic Inuk explorer Hans Hendrik, who was part of the 1853 expedition that established Denmark’s claim to the barren 130 h (320 acre) island. Canada operated a scientific station there during World War II, and a Canadian oil company later operated nearby. In 1984, the Danish prime minister planted a flag on the island, prompting the Canadians to plant their flag – and leave a bottle of whiskey for the Danes. The Danes reciprocated with a flag-raising and a bottle of schnapps for the Canadians. This “war” lasted until an agreement in 2022 that split the island in half was sealed with a final exchange of spirits.
Pictured is the calving front of Kangerdlugssup Glacier in central west Greenland, where large chunks of ice break off from the glaciers to form icebergs. Several large icebergs in the fjord are shown here, surrounded by the dense mixture of iceberg bits and floating sea ice that is known as the “mélange.” Credit: NASA/Michael Studinger.
1 of 6
Greenland Factbook Data
Dependency status
part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1979
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Consul Monica BLAND (since July 2023)
65 years and over: 12.5% (2024 est.) (male 3,829/female 3,399)
This is the population pyramid for Greenland. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends.
For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page.
Geographic coordinates
72 00 N, 40 00 W
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/female
total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Natural hazards
continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island
Area - comparative
slightly more than three times the size of Texas
Background
Greenland, the world's largest island, is about 80% ice capped. The Inuit came to Greenland from North America in a series of migrations that stretched from 2500 BC to the11th century. Vikings reached the island in the 10th century from Iceland; Danish colonization began in the 18th century, and Greenland became part of the Kingdom 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 remains a member of the EU's Overseas Countries and Territories Association. The Danish parliament granted Greenland home rule in 1979; the law went into effect the following year. Greenland voted in favor of self-government in 2008 and acquired greater responsibility for internal affairs when the Act on Greenland Self-Government was signed into law in 2009. The Kingdom of Denmark, however, continues to exercise control over several policy areas on behalf of Greenland, including foreign affairs, security, and financial policy, in consultation with Greenland's Self-Rule Government.
Environment - current issues
especially vulnerable to climate change and disruption of the Arctic environment; preservation of the Inuit traditional way of life, including whaling and seal hunting
note: Northeast Greenland National Park (Kalaallit Nunaanni Nuna Eqqissisimatitaq) and the Pituffik Space Base (formerly known as Thule Air Base) in northwest Greenland are two unincorporated areas; the national park's 972,000 sq km - about 46% of the island - makes it the largest national park in the world and also the most northerly
Agricultural products
sheep, cattle, reindeer, fish, shellfish
Military and security forces
no regular military forces
Budget
revenues: $1.719 billion (2016 est.)
expenditures: $1.594 billion (2016 est.)
Capital
name: Nuuk
geographic coordinates: 64 11 N, 51 45 W
time difference: UTC-2 (3 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
time zone note: Greenland has four time zones
etymology: "nuuk" is the Inuit word for "cape" and refers to the city's position at the end of the Nuup Kangerlua fjord
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, aircraft, garments, construction vehicles, plastic products (2022)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Climate
arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters
Coastline
44,087 km
Constitution
history: previous 1953 (Greenland established as a constituency in the Danish constitution), 1979 (Greenland Home Rule Act); latest 21 June 2009 (Greenland Self-Government Act)
chief of state: King FREDERIK X of Denmark (since 14 January 2024), represented by High Commissioner Julie Praest WILCHE (since May 2022) (2024)
head of government: Premier Mute B. EGEDE (since 23 April 2021)
cabinet: Self-rule Government (Naalakkersuisut) elected by the Parliament (Inatsisartut)
elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by the monarch; premier indirectly elected by Parliament for a 4-year term
election results: 2021: Mute B. EGEDE elected premier; Parliament vote - Mute B. EGEDE (Inuit Ataqatigiit) unanimous
2014: Kim KIELSEN elected premier; Parliament vote - Kim KIELSEN (S) 27.2%, Sara OLSVIG (IA) 25.5%, Randi Vestergaard EVALDSEN (D) 19.5%, other 27.8%
Flag description
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; the design represents the sun reflecting off a field of ice; the colors are the same as those of the Danish flag and symbolize Greenland's links to the Kingdom of Denmark
Independence
none (extensive self-rule as part of the Kingdom of Denmark; foreign affairs is the responsibility of Denmark, but Greenland actively participates in international agreements relating to Greenland)
Industries
fish processing (mainly shrimp and Greenland halibut), anorthosite and ruby mining, handicrafts, hides and skins, small shipyards
Judicial branch
highest court(s): High Court of Greenland (consists of the presiding professional judge and 2 lay assessors); note - appeals beyond the High Court of Greenland can be heard by the Supreme Court (in Copenhagen)
judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the monarch upon the recommendation of the Judicial Appointments Council, a 6-member independent body of judges and lawyers; judges appointed for life with retirement at age 70
subordinate courts: Court of Greenland; 18 district or magistrates' courts
Land boundaries
total: 0 km
Land use
agricultural land: 0.6% (2018 est.)
arable land: 0% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 0.6% (2018 est.)
forest: 0% (2018 est.)
other: 99.4% (2018 est.)
Legal system
the laws of Denmark apply where applicable and Greenlandic law applies to other areas
Legislative branch
description: unicameral Parliament or Inatsisartut (31 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote - by the d'Hondt method - to serve 4-year terms)
elections: Greenland Parliament - last held on 6 April 2021 (next to be held in 2025)
election results: Greenland Parliament - percent of vote by party - IA 38.7%, S 32.2%, N 12.9%, D 9.7%, A 6.5%; seats by party - IA 12, S 10, N 4, D 3, A 2; composition as of May 2024 - men 20, women 11, percentage women 35%
Greenland members in Danish Parliament - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - IA 1, S 1; composition - 2 women
note: Greenland elects 2 members to the Danish Parliament to serve 4-year terms
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100% (2015)
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 3 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line
International organization participation
Arctic Council, ICC, NC, NIB, UPU
National holiday
National Day, June 21; note - marks the summer solstice and the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere
Nationality
noun: Greenlander(s)
adjective: Greenlandic
Natural resources
coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, molybdenum, diamonds, gold, platinum, niobium, tantalite, uranium, fish, seals, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas
Geography - note
dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe; sparse population confined to small settlements along coast; close to one-quarter of the population lives in the capital, Nuuk; world's second largest ice sheet after that of Antarctica covering an area of 1.71 million sq km (660,000 sq mi) or about 79% of the island, and containing 2.85 million cu km (684 thousand cu mi) of ice (this is almost 7% of all of the world's fresh water); if all this ice were converted to liquid water, one estimate is that it would be sufficient to raise the height of the world's oceans by 7.2 m (24 ft)
Economic overview
large self-governing Danish territorial economy; preferential EU market access; high-income economy; dependent on Danish financial support, even for whaling and sealing industries; growing tourism; hydropower-fueled but environmentally fragile economy
Political parties
Democrats Party (Demokraatit) or D Fellowship Party (Atassut) or A Forward Party (Siumut) or S Inuit Community (Inuit Ataqatigiit) or IA Signpost Party (Naleraq) or N (formerly Partii Naleraq)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Telecommunication systems
general assessment: adequate domestic and international service provided by satellite, cables, and microwave radio relay; the fundamental telecommunications infrastructure consists of a digital radio link from Nanortalik in south Greenland to Uummannaq in north Greenland; satellites cover north and east Greenland for domestic and foreign telecommunications; a marine cable connects south and west Greenland to the rest of the world, extending from Nuuk and Qaqortoq to Canada and Iceland; a contract has been awarded to build a 5G network in Greenland, initially covering three towns, with 10 towns, including Greenland's capital Nuuk to follow (2022)
domestic: nearly 11 per 100 for fixed-line subscriptions and 118 per 100 for mobile-cellular (2021)
international: country code - 299; landing points for Greenland Connect, Greenland Connect North, Nunavut Undersea Fiber System submarine cables to Greenland, Iceland, and Canada; satellite earth stations - 15 (12 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 2 Americom GE-2 (all Atlantic Ocean)) (2019)
Terrain
flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow, mountainous, barren, rocky coast
Government type
parliamentary democracy (Parliament of Greenland or Inatsisartut)
Military - note
the Danish military’s Joint Arctic Command in Nuuk is responsible for coordinating Denmark's defense of Greenland
Country name
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Greenland
local long form: none
local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat
etymology: named by Norwegian adventurer Erik THORVALDSSON (Erik the Red) in A.D. 985 in order to entice settlers to the island
Location
Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada
Map references
Arctic Region
Irrigated land
NA
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Kenneth HØEGH, Head of Representation (since 1 August 2021)
chancery: 3200 Whitehaven Street, NW Washington, DC 20008
the Greenland Broadcasting Company provides public radio and TV services throughout the island with a broadcast station and a series of repeaters; a few private local TV and radio stations; Danish public radio rebroadcasts are available (2019)
Drinking water source
improved: urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved: urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
National anthem
name: "Nunarput utoqqarsuanngoravit" (Our Country, Who's Become So Old also translated as You Our Ancient Land)
lyrics/music: Henrik LUND/Jonathan PETERSEN
note: adopted 1916; the government also recognizes "Nuna asiilasooq" as a secondary anthem
Major urban areas - population
18,000 NUUK (capital) (2018)
Physician density
1.87 physicians/1,000 population (2016)
Hospital bed density
14 beds/1,000 population (2016)
National symbol(s)
polar bear; national colors: red, white
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption: 35.8% (2021 est.)
government consumption: 45.1% (2021 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 33.3% (2021 est.)
exports of goods and services: 35.4% (2021 est.)
imports of goods and services: -49.7% (2021 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
Citizenship
see Denmark
Population distribution
settlement concentrated on the southwest shoreline, with limited settlements scattered along the remaining coast; interior is uninhabited
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
National air transport system
number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020) (registered in Denmark)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 8 (registered in Denmark)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
OY-H
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved: urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
Ethnic groups
Greenlandic 88.1%, Danish 7.1%, Filipino 1.6%, other Nordic peoples 0.9%, and other 2.3% (2024 est.)
note: data represent population by country of birth
Religions
Evangelical Lutheran, traditional Inuit spiritual beliefs
Languages
Greenlandic, Danish, English
note: West Greenlandic or Kalaallisut is the official language; Tunumiisut (East Greenlandic) and Inuktun (Polar Inuit Greenlandic) are considered dialects of Kalaallisut and spoken by about 10% of Greenlanders
Imports - partners
Denmark 56%, Sweden 22%, France 10%, Iceland 3%, Canada 3% (2022)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Elevation
highest point: Gunnbjorn Fjeld 3,694 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
mean elevation: 1,792 m
Contraceptive prevalence rate
NA
Current health expenditure
NA
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 43.6
youth dependency ratio: 30
elderly dependency ratio: 13.6
potential support ratio: 7.4 (2021)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 50,000 tons (2010 est.)