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.TipVisit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.Definitions and Notes
Geography
Location
Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada
Geographic coordinates
72 00 N, 40 00 W
Map references
Arctic Region
Area
total : 2,166,086 sq km
land: 2,166,086 sq km (approximately 1,710,000 sq km ice-covered)
comparison ranking: total 13
Area – comparative
slightly more than three times the size of Texas
Land boundaries
total: 0 km
Coastline
44,087 km
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
Climate
arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters
Terrain
flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow, mountainous, barren, rocky coast
Elevation
highest point: Gunnbjorn Fjeld 3,694 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
mean elevation: 1,792 m
Natural resources
coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, molybdenum, diamonds, gold, platinum, niobium, tantalite, uranium, fish, seals, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas
Land use
agricultural land: 0.6% (2022 est.)
arable land: 0% (2022 est.)
permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.)
permanent pasture: 0.6% (2022 est.)
forest: 0% (2022 est.)
other: 99.4% (2022 est.)
Irrigated land
NA
Population distribution
settlement concentrated on the southwest shoreline, with limited settlements scattered along the remaining coast; interior is uninhabited
Natural hazards
continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island
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 (almost 7% of the world’s fresh water)
People and Society
Population
total: 57,751 (2024 est.)
male: 29,843
female: 27,908
comparison rankings: total 206; female 206; male 206
Nationality
noun: Greenlander(s)
adjective: Greenlandic
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
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
Religions
Evangelical Lutheran, traditional Inuit spiritual beliefs
Age structure
0-14 years: 20.4% (male 5,964/female 5,798)
15-64 years: 67.1% (male 20,050/female 18,711)
65 years and over: 12.5% (2024 est.) (male 3,829/female 3,399)
2024 population pyramid:
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 49 (2024 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 30.3 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 18.6 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio: 5.4 (2024 est.)
Median age
total: 35.3 years (2024 est.)
male: 35.9 years
female: 34.7 years
comparison ranking: total 100
Population growth rate
-0.05% (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 200
Birth rate
13.5 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 126
Death rate
9.2 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 51
Net migration rate
-4.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 202
Population distribution
settlement concentrated on the southwest shoreline, with limited settlements scattered along the remaining coast; interior is uninhabited
Urbanization
urban population: 87.9% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.41% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas – population
18,000 NUUK (capital) (2018)
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.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 8.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
male: 9.9 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.9 deaths/1,000 live births
comparison ranking: total 142
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 74.5 years (2024 est.)
male: 71.8 years
female: 77.3 years
comparison ranking: total population 141
Total fertility rate
1.88 children born/woman (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 124
Gross reproduction rate
0.92 (2024 est.)
Drinking water source
improved:
total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Physician density
1.87 physicians/1,000 population (2016)
Sanitation facility access
improved:
total: 62.5% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 37.5% of population (2022 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
39.4% (2023 est.)
Education expenditure
10.2% of GDP (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: Education expenditure (% GDP) 5
Environment
Environmental issues
changes in sea levels and other disruptions in the Arctic environment
Climate
arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters
Land use
agricultural land: 0.6% (2022 est.)
arable land: 0% (2022 est.)
permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.)
permanent pasture: 0.6% (2022 est.)
forest: 0% (2022 est.)
other: 99.4% (2022 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 87.9% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.41% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
527,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 12 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 527,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
comparison ranking: total emissions 189
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 50,000 tons (2010 est.)
Government
Country name
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Greenland
local long form: none
local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat
etymology: named by Norse navigator Erik THORVALDSSON (Erik the Red) in A.D. 985 to attract settlers to the island; the original Greenlandic name, Kalaallit Nunaat, means “land of the people”
Government type
parliamentary democracy (Parliament of Greenland or Inatsisartut)
Dependency status
part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1979
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 three time zones
etymology: nuuk is the Inuit word for “cape;” until 1979, the name was Godthab, from the Danish words meaning “good hope”
Administrative divisions
5 municipalities (kommuner, singular – kommune); Avannaata, Kujalleq, Qeqertalik, Qeqqata, Sermersooq
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
Legal system
Denmark’s laws apply in some areas, and Greenland’s law for the remainder
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)
Citizenship
see Denmark
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
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: Prime Minister Jens-Frederik NIELSEN (since 28 March 2025)
cabinet: Self-rule Government (Naalakkersuisut) elected by the Parliament (Inatsisartut)
election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by the monarch; premier indirectly elected by Parliament for a 4-year term
election results: 2025: Jens-Frederik NIELSEN (D) elected premier
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%
Legislative branch
legislature name: Parliament (Inatsisartut)
legislative structure: unicameral
number of seats: 31 (directly elected)
electoral system: proportional representation
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 4 years
most recent election date: 4/6/2021
parties elected and seats per party: IA (12); S (10); N (4); D (3); A (2)
percentage of women in chamber: 35%
expected date of next election: 2025
note: Greenland elects 2 members to the Danish Parliament to serve 4-year terms
Judicial branch
highest court(s): High Court of Greenland (consists of the presiding professional judge and 2 lay assessors)
judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the monarch on 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
note: appeals beyond the High Court of Greenland can be heard by the Supreme Court (in Copenhagen)
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)
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
telephone: [1] (202) 234-4300
FAX: [1] (202) 328-1470
email address and website:
[email protected]
All Greenlandic Representations | Grønlands Repræsentation (grl-rep.dk);
https://naalakkersuisut.gl/en/Naalakkersuisut/Groenlands-repraesentation-Washington
note: Greenland also has offices in the Danish consulates in Chicago and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Consul Monica BLAND (since July 2023)
embassy: Aalisartut Aqqutaa 47
Nuuk 3900
Greenland
telephone: (+299) 384100
email address and website:
[email protected]
Homepage – U.S. Embassy & Consulate in the Kingdom of Denmark (usembassy.gov)
International organization participation
Arctic Council, ICC, NC, NIB, UPU
Independence
none (extensive self-rule as part of the Kingdom of Denmark)
National holiday
National Day, June 21
note: marks the summer solstice and the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere
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, and the bottom 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
National symbol(s)
polar bear
National color(s)
red, white
National anthem(s)
title: “Nunarput utoqqarsuanngoravit” (Our Country, Who’s Become So Old)
lyrics/music: Henrik LUND/Jonathan PETERSEN
history: adopted 1916
_____
title: “Nuna asiilasooq” (The Land of Great Length)
lyrics/music: unknown
history: adopted 1979, when home rule was granted; the Greenlandic government recognizes this local Kalaallit song as a secondary anthem
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites: 3 (2 cultural, 1 natural); note – excerpted from the Denmark entry
selected World Heritage Site locales: Ilulissat Icefjord (n); Kujataa, Norse, and Inuit Farming (c); Aasivissuit–Nipisat, Inuit Hunting Ground (c)
Economy
Economic overview
high-income, self-governing Danish territorial economy; non-EU member but preferential market access; dependent on Danish financial support; exports led by fishing industry; growing tourism and interest in untapped mineral deposits; relies on hydropower for fuel
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$4.04 billion (2023 est.)
$4.005 billion (2022 est.)
$3.926 billion (2021 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
comparison ranking: 189
Real GDP growth rate
0.9% (2023 est.)
2% (2022 est.)
1.6% (2021 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
comparison ranking: 180
Real GDP per capita
$71,000 (2023 est.)
$70,700 (2022 est.)
$69,300 (2021 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
comparison ranking: 15
GDP (official exchange rate)
$3.327 billion (2023 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
1.2% (2022 est.)
0% (2021 est.)
2.1% (2020 est.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices
comparison ranking: 27
GDP – composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 16.6% (2023 est.)
industry: 18.4% (2023 est.)
services: 61% (2023 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
comparison rankings: services 82; industry 142; agriculture 48
GDP – composition, by end use
household consumption: 32.6% (2023 est.)
government consumption: 41.7% (2023 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 34.7% (2023 est.)
investment in inventories: 1.3% (2023 est.)
exports of goods and services: 40.8% (2023 est.)
imports of goods and services: -51.1% (2023 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
Agricultural products
sheep, cattle, reindeer, fish, shellfish
Industries
fish processing (mainly shrimp and Greenland halibut), anorthosite and ruby mining, handicrafts, hides and skins, small shipyards
Industrial production growth rate
-1.3% (2023 est.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
comparison ranking: 151
Gini Index coefficient – distribution of family income
34.3 (2014 est.)
comparison ranking: 88
Budget
revenues: $1.719 billion (2016 est.)
expenditures: $1.594 billion (2016 est.)
Exports
$1.357 billion (2023 est.)
$1.286 billion (2022 est.)
$1.122 billion (2021 est.)
note: GDP expenditure basis – exports of goods and services in current dollars
comparison ranking: 177
Exports – partners
Denmark 50%, China 23%, UK 5%, Japan 5%, Germany 3% (2023)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Exports – commodities
fish, shellfish, processed crustaceans, ships, precious stones (2023)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Imports
$1.7 billion (2023 est.)
$1.657 billion (2022 est.)
$1.635 billion (2021 est.)
note: GDP expenditure basis – imports of goods and services in current dollars
comparison ranking: 180
Imports – partners
Denmark 58%, Sweden 19%, Spain 8%, Iceland 7%, Canada 2% (2023)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Imports – commodities
refined petroleum, ships, garments, plastic products, furniture (2023)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Exchange rates
Danish kroner (DKK) per US dollar –
Exchange rates:
6.894 (2024 est.)
6.89 (2023 est.)
7.076 (2022 est.)
6.287 (2021 est.)
6.542 (2020 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification – total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Electricity
installed generating capacity: 190,000 kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 534.5 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 10 million kWh (2023 est.)
comparison rankings: transmission/distribution losses 16; consumption 175; installed generating capacity 174
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels: 13.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity: 85.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
biomass and waste: 0.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Coal
imports: 5 metric tons (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 383 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
refined petroleum consumption: 4,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Communications
Telephones – fixed lines
total subscriptions: 6,000 (2020 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 9 (2022 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 197
Telephones – mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 67,000 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 118 (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 202
Broadcast media
Greenland Broadcasting Company provides public radio and TV, with a broadcast station and a series of repeaters; a few private local TV and radio stations; Danish public radio rebroadcasts are available (2019)
Internet country code
.gl
Internet users
percent of population: 70% (2017 est.)
Broadband – fixed subscriptions
total: 18,000 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 32 (2022 est.)
comparison ranking: total 174
Transportation
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
OY-H
Airports
25 (2025)
comparison ranking: 129
Heliports
54 (2025)
comparison ranking: 37
Merchant marine
total: 10 (2023)
by type: other 10
comparison ranking: total 160
Ports
total ports: 23 (2024)
large: 0
medium: 0
small: 7
very small: 10
size unknown: 6
ports with oil terminals: 5
key ports: Aasiaat, Illulissat (Jakobshavn), Kusanartoq, Nuuk, Paamuit (Frederikshab), Qeqertarsuaq, Sisimiut
Military and Security
Military and security forces
no regular military forces
Military – note
the Danish military’s Joint Arctic Command in Nuuk is responsible for coordinating Denmark’s defense of Greenland
the US Space Force maintains a base on Greenland’s northwest coast, about 750 miles from the North Pole
