Greenland is the world’s largest island, with 80% of its surface permanently covered in ice. It was first inhabited by Paleo-Eskimo cultures and later by Vikings, before becoming a Danish province in 1953. Greenland has self-government but relies heavily on Danish subsidies. Its economy is based on fish exports and natural resources such as coal, lead, zinc, diamonds, and iron ore. The population is mostly Inuit and Greenland-born whites, with Danish influence on its culture and language.
At 836,109 square miles (2.2 million square km), Greenland is the world’s largest island that isn’t also a continent. Due to its climate and proximity to the North Pole, approximately 80% of its surface is permanently covered in ice. It has a population of over 55,000 and its capital is Nuuk, which is the largest city in the nation with over 15,000 inhabitants.
In prehistoric times, the island was inhabited by several Paleo-Eskimo cultures. The first outside settlers on the island were the Vikings, who arrived in the 10th century but disappeared after about 500 years. The Danes colonized the area in the 1700s, and Greenland became a province of Denmark in 1953. It was also briefly part of the European Union, but withdrew its membership after disagreements over strict EU fishing quotas. In 1979, Denmark granted self-government to Greenland, but continued to control the country’s foreign relations in cooperation with the government of Greenland.
The government consists of an executive branch, a legislative branch, and a judicial branch. The executive branch is nominally headed by the ruler of Denmark, but in practice is headed by the prime minister, who is advised by his cabinet. The legislative branch consists of a single-member Parliament with 31 seats. Members are chosen in popular elections and the legislature is responsible for electing the prime minister. The judicial branch is headed by a High Court.
Greenland’s climate ranges from arctic to subarctic, with cool summers and cold winters. The land is almost entirely covered by a flat ice cap, but a narrow strip of mountainous coastline around the island is not covered by the ice cap. All of Greenland’s cities are located within this stretch of coast.
Greenland has many valuable natural resources, such as coal, lead, zinc, diamonds and iron ore. The economy is generally good, but it is heavily dependent on fish exports and also requires a lot of support from the Danish government. In fact, Danish subsidies account for half of government revenue.
The majority of the population is made up of Inuit and Greenland-born whites, with Danes and people of other ethnicities making up about 10%. The predominant religion is Evangelical Lutheran and the most widely spoken languages are Greenlandic, Danish and English. Culturally, Greenlanders are closely related to European cultures, especially those of Denmark, Iceland and Norway, although the North American nation of Canada is much closer. This is likely due to early Viking settlements, as well as Denmark’s continued influence on the nation.
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