Greenland

• 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)

noun:

Greenlander(s)

adjective:

Greenlandic

total:

35.6 years (2025 est.)

male:

35.9 years

female:

34.7 years

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.)

total:

8.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male:

9.9 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

6.9 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

74.5 years (2024 est.)

male:

71.8 years

female:

77.3 years

urban population:

87.9% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

0.41% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

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"

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"

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:

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%

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

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)

• 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)

chief of mission:

Consul Susan A. "Suzi" WILSON (since August 2025)

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)

description:

two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red, with a large disk set slightly to the left; the top half of the disk is red, and the bottom is white

meaning:

• the design represents the sun reflecting off a field of ice;
• the colors are the same as the Danish flag and symbolize Greenland's links to the Kingdom of Denmark

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

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)

• 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

imports:

5 metric tons (2023 est.)

proven reserves:

383 million metric tons (2023 est.)

• 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)

total:

10 (2023)

by type:

other 10

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