Self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark
Self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, with its own parliament and government responsible for most domestic matters. Under the Self-Government Act of 2009, the people of Greenland have the right to decide on independence.
National Identity
- Official name
- Greenland
- Official name (in Greenlandic)
- Kalaallit Nunaat
- Name 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"
Sources:- Act no. 473 of 12 June 2009 - Act on Greenland Self-Government ↗ - The Prime Minister's Office
- The World Factbook: Greenland - CIA
- Coat of arms
- National flag
- National anthem
- Nunarput utoqqarsuanngoravit0:49
- Title (in Greenlandic)
- Nunarput utoqqarsuanngoravit
- Title (in English, translated)
- Our Country, Who’s Become So Old
- Lyrics
1Nunarput, utoqqarsuanngoravit niaqqut ulissimavoqq qiinik. Qitornatit kissumiaannarpatit tunillugit sineriavit piinik.
2Akullequtaastut merletutut ilinni perotugut tamaani kalaallinik imminik taajumavugut niaqquit ataqqinartup saani.
3Atortillugillu tamaasa pisit ingerlaniarusuleqaagut, nutarterlugillu noqitsigisatit siumut, siumut piumaqaagut.
4Inersimalersut ingerlanerat tungaalitsiterusuleqaarput, oqaatsit “aviisit” qanoq kingunerat atussasoq erinigileqaarput.
5Taqilluni naami atunngiveqaaq, kalaallit siumut makigitsi. Inuttut inuuneq pigiuminaqaaq, saperasi isumaqaleritsi.
- Citizens
- Greenlanders
- Official name:Act no. 473 of 12 June 2009 - Act on Greenland Self-Government ↗ - The Prime Minister's Office
- Official name, Citizens:The World Factbook: Greenland - CIA
- National anthem:nationalanthems.info ↗
- National anthem:Recording credit
Geography
- Location
- Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada
- Total area
- 2,166,086 km²
- Land area
- 2,166,086 km²
- Water area
- 0.00 km²
- Land borders
- None
- Coastline
- 44,087 km
- Terrain
Flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow, mountainous, barren, rocky coast - Mean elevation
- 1,792 m
- Highest point
- 3,694 mGunnbjorn Fjeld
- Lowest point
- 0 mAtlantic Ocean
- Climate
Arctic to subarctic cool summers, cold winters - Avg. temperature
- −18.2 °C
- Avg. daily range
- −21 to −15.6 °C
- Annual precipitation
- 438 mm
Temperature °CMeanDaily rangePrecipitation mmMonthly climate normals Month Avg. high, °C Mean, °C Avg. low, °C Precipitation, mm January −24.7 −27.6 −30.4 38 February −25.2 −28 −30.8 34 March −24.8 −27.6 −30.6 29 April −18.2 −21.1 −24.4 32 May −10.9 −13.6 −16.6 30 June −4.3 −6.7 −9.4 30 July −1.9 −4.3 −6.8 34 August −4.5 −6.8 −9.4 44 September −10.9 −13.2 −15.8 47 October −17.3 −19.7 −22.3 40 November −21.2 −23.9 −26.6 42 December −23.8 −26.5 −29.2 37 Country-wide averages over 1991–2020.
Sources:- The World Factbook: Greenland - CIA
- Climate Change Knowledge Portal (ERA5 reanalysis) ↗ - World Bank
- Weather
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- Land use2023
- Pasture0.6%Other99.4%
- Permanent meadows & pastures
- 243,110 hectares (0.6%)
- Forest
- 220 hectares (0.0%)
- Other land
- 40,801,670 hectares (99.4%)
Source:
- Location, Land borders, Coastline, Terrain, Mean elevation, Highest point, Lowest point, Climate:The World Factbook: Greenland - CIA
- Climate:Climate Change Knowledge Portal (ERA5 reanalysis) ↗ - World Bank
- Land use:FAOSTAT Land Use domain ↗ - FAO
Demographics
- Population change2026
- −0.21% per year−116 people/yearWorld Rank189thof 237
- Birth rate
- 12.8 per 1,000 population
- Death rate
- 10.6 per 1,000 population
- Net migration rate
- −4.5 per 1,000 population
- 2026
- 35.5 yearsWorld Rank102ndof 237
- Age structure2026
- 0-14 years20.6%15-64 years67.1%65 years +12.3%
- Share aged 65 and over
- 12.3%
- Share aged under 18
- 24.5%
- Total dependency ratio
- 49
- Youth dependency ratio
- 31
- Elderly dependency ratio
- 18
- Sex ratio
- 1.1 male / female
MaleAgeFemalePopulation by age group, % of total population Age Male Female 80+ 0.7% 0.8% 70-79 2.8% 2.3% 60-69 7.3% 6.3% 50-59 6.5% 5.4% 40-49 6.7% 5.9% 30-39 8.2% 7.8% 20-29 6.4% 6.1% 10-19 6.7% 6.3% 0-9 7.1% 6.8% - 2026
- 0.20 below the replacement level for Greenland ()1.90 births per womanreplacement 2.10123World Rank119thof 237
- 0.89 daughters per woman0.11 below replacement, long-run each generation smaller than the lastreplacement 1.000.511.5
- 2026
- +2.3 per 1,000 populationfor every 1,000 people, 2.3 more births than deaths a year
- 2026
- −4.5 per 1,000 population
- Urbanization2026
- 88.8% live in cities49,413 urban residents
- Largest towns2026
- Nuuk, Sisimiut, Ilulissat, QaqortoqRankTown, Settlement or StationPopulation (2026 estimate)1Nuuk20,2982Sisimiut5,4553Ilulissat5,1504Qaqortoq3,0815Aasiaat2,9456Maniitsoq2,5287Tasiilaq1,8118Uummannaq1,3799Narsaq1,24110Paamiut1,205Source:
- Statistics Greenland (2026 estimate), via City Population by Thomas Brinkhoff ↗
- Population distribution
- Settlement concentrated on the southwest shoreline, with limited settlements scattered along the remaining coast; interior is uninhabited.
- Ethnic groups2024
- Figures count country of birth, not ethnicity.Greenlandic88.1%Danish7.1%Filipino1.6%Other Nordic peoples0.9%Other2.3%
- Religions
- Evangelical Lutheran, Traditional Inuit spiritual beliefs
- Languages
- Greenlandic (Kalaallisut)
- Population, Population change, Median age, Age structure, Total fertility rate, Net reproduction rate, Natural change, Net migration rate:UN World Population Prospects ↗
- Urbanization:UN World Urbanization Prospects ↗
- Largest cities:Statistics Greenland (2026 estimate), via City Population by Thomas Brinkhoff ↗
- Population distribution, Ethnic groups, Religions:The World Factbook: Greenland - CIA
Government & Administration
- Form of state
- Constitutional monarchyShared with Denmark: the Danish monarch is head of state.Greenland's Self-Government Act is an Act of the Danish Parliament assented to by the Danish monarch; it recognises the people of Greenland's right of self-determination and rests on an agreement between Naalakkersuisut (the Greenland government) and the Danish Government as equal partners (enacting formula; preamble).Sources:
- Lov om Grønlands Selvstyre, Lovtidende A 2009, Nr. 473 af 12. juni 2009, with the official English translation (Act on Greenland Self-Government) ↗, enacting formula; preamble
- Danmarks Riges Grundlov (Grundloven), LOV nr 169 af 05/06/1953 ↗, enacting formula; preamble
- System of government
- ParliamentaryLegislative power in the fields taken over lies with Inatsisartut, the Greenland Parliament, and executive power with Naalakkersuisut, the Greenland Government (§ 1).
- Official websites
- Government
- High Commissioner (in Danish)
- Parliament
- Capital
- Nuuk20,298 people(2024)
- National holidays
- 11 days in 2026
- ThuJan 1New Year's Day
- ThuApr 2Maundy Thursday
- FriApr 3Good Friday
- SunApr 5Easter Sunday
- MonApr 6Easter Monday
- FriMay 1Great Prayer Day
- ThuMay 14Ascension Day
- SunMay 24Pentecost
- MonMay 25Pentecost Monday
- FriDec 25Christmas Day
- SatDec 26Second Day of Christmas
Nationwide public holidays only, excluding regional, bank and government-only days.
- Time
- GMT-2Greenland TimeUTC−2 (UTC−1 in summer)
Greenland spans multiple time zones, the capital's is shown here. All 3 time zones
- Currency
- Danish Krone (DKK)
- Entry requirements
- Official visa and entry information
- Calling code
- +299
- Internet TLD
- .gl
- ISO 3166-1 codes
- GL, GRL
- Infrastructure
- Heliports
- 54
- Aircraft registration prefix
- OY-H
Source:- The World Factbook: Greenland - CIA
- Flag carrier
- Air GreenlandState-owned
- Form of state, System of government:Lov om Grønlands Selvstyre, Lovtidende A 2009, Nr. 473 af 12. juni 2009, with the official English translation (Act on Greenland Self-Government) ↗ - Prime Minister's Office of Denmark
- Form of state, System of government:Danmarks Riges Grundlov (Grundloven), LOV nr 169 af 05/06/1953 ↗ - Retsinformation (Danish state legal information)
- National holidays:Open World Holidays Framework (vacanza/holidays) ↗
- Infrastructure:The World Factbook: Greenland - CIA
- Infrastructure:World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
Economy
- High income
- 2023
- Services61% of GDPIndustry18.4% of GDPAgriculture16.6% of GDPManufacturing2.7%part of industry
- Households
- +32.6%
- Government
- +41.7%
- Investment
- +36%
- Exports
- +40.8%
- Imports
- −51.1%
The shape of the economyGDP by end useSource:- World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- Trade2023
- Denmark50%
- China23%
- United Kingdom5%
- Japan5%
- Germany3%
Source:- The World Factbook: Greenland - CIA
- Industries
- fish processing (mainly shrimp and Greenland halibut), anorthosite and ruby mining, handicrafts, hides and skins, small shipyards
- Income level, GDP by sector:World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- Trade, Industries:The World Factbook: Greenland - CIA
Cost of Living
- Cost of living index
- Loading
- Monthly costs (excluding rent)
- Loading
- Rent
- Loading
- Buying an apartment
- Loading
Society
- Internet users2017latest available
- 69.5% of the population
- Households with Internet access
- 48.4%
Source:- ITU DataHub ↗ - International Telecommunication Union
- Mobile subscriptions2017latest available
- 62,320
- Fixed telephone lines
- 9,267
- Fixed broadband
- 21.7 subscriptions per 100 people
Counts subscriptions, not people.
Source:- ITU DataHub ↗ - International Telecommunication Union
- Official tourism site
- Official tourism site
- UNESCO World Heritage Sites
- 3 sites2 cultural1 natural
Site Type Ilulissat Icefjord Natural Kujataa, Norse, and Inuit Farming Cultural Aasivissuit–Nipisat, Inuit Hunting Ground Cultural Source:- The World Factbook: Greenland - CIA
- Internet users, Mobile subscriptions:ITU DataHub ↗ - International Telecommunication Union
- UNESCO World Heritage Sites:The World Factbook: Greenland - CIA
Crime & Safety
- Travel advisory (US)
- Loading
- Homicide rate2016
- 5.4 per 100,000 peopleMedium by global standards
- Crime rates
- 1 offence category
Offence Per 100,000 Count Year Homicide (victims) 5.4 3 2016 A low figure can also mean weak recording.
Source:- UNODC Data Portal ↗ - UN Office on Drugs and Crime
- Prison population2020
- 233.6 per 100,000 people
- Persons held
- 131
Source:- UNODC Data Portal ↗ - UN Office on Drugs and Crime
- Homicide rate, Crime rates, Prison population:UNODC Data Portal ↗ - UN Office on Drugs and Crime
Health
- Life expectancy2026
- 70.4 years
- Infant mortality2026
- 9.2 per 1,000 live births
- Life expectancy, Infant mortality:UN World Population Prospects ↗
Environment
- CO₂ emissions2024
- 0.59 Mt per yearup 1.6 percent on the previous year1.6% from 2023
- CO₂ per capita
- 10.4 t per personWorld Rank22ndof 207
- Share of global CO₂
- < 0.01%
- Methane (CH₄)
- 0.06 Mt CO₂-eq
- Nitrous oxide (N₂O)
- 0.01 Mt CO₂-eq
- All greenhouse gases
- 0.66 Mt CO₂-eq
Source:- Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR) ↗ - European Commission, Joint Research Centre
- 2024
- 0.8 µg/m³ of PM2.5Most polluted232ndof 236
- WHO guideline
- 5 µg/m³
Source:- Air Quality Life Index ↗ - Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago
- Environmental issues
- changes in sea levels and other disruptions in the Arctic environment
- International agreements
- 0 of 20 landmark treaties in forceParty to 1 multilateral environmental agreements
Treaty Standing Joined Climate Paris Agreement not a party UN Framework Convention on Climate Change not a party Kyoto Protocol not a party Ozone layer Montreal Protocol not a party Vienna Convention (Ozone Layer) not a party Biodiversity Convention on Biological Diversity not a party CITES not a party Convention on Migratory Species (Bonn) not a party Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety not a party Nagoya Protocol not a party Land and heritage Ramsar Convention on Wetlands not a party World Heritage Convention not a party UN Convention to Combat Desertification not a party Chemicals and waste Basel Convention not a party Rotterdam Convention (PIC) not a party Stockholm Convention (POPs) not a party Minamata Convention on Mercury not a party Oceans UN Convention on the Law of the Sea not a party High Seas Treaty (BBNJ) not a party MARPOL 73/78 not a party Source:- International Environmental Agreements Database ↗ - Université Laval
- CO₂ emissions:Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR) ↗ - European Commission, Joint Research Centre
- Air pollution:Air Quality Life Index ↗ - Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago
- Environmental issues:The World Factbook: Greenland - CIA
- International agreements:International Environmental Agreements Database ↗ - Université Laval
Food & Water
- Obesity2024
- 28.1% of adults
- Men
- 24.5%
- Women
- 32%
Source:- Global Health Observatory ↗ - World Health Organization
- Obesity:Global Health Observatory ↗ - World Health Organization
Energy
- Energy consumption2024
- Per capita
- 174.1 GJ per person
- Share of world total
- < 0.01%
- Supply
- Deficitproduces 20% of what it consumes, 2024
Source:- International Energy Statistics ↗ - U.S. Energy Information Administration
- Electricity2024
- No electricity trade0.6 TWh generated per year
- Generation
- 0.6 TWh per year
- Consumption
- 0.6 TWh per year
Source:- International Energy Statistics ↗ - U.S. Energy Information Administration
- Oil, gas & coal
- No domestic productionconsumes 3,531 b/d in 2024Consumption20243,531 b/d
Oil imports and exports count crude oil only.
- Mineral resources2025
- Rare earths
Mineral Mine production Reserves Rare earthsas rare-earth oxide No mine production 1.5 million t USGS estimates. Shows only minerals where the country is a major producer.
Source:- Mineral Commodity Summaries ↗ - U.S. Geological Survey
- Energy consumption, Electricity, Oil, gas & coal:International Energy Statistics ↗ - U.S. Energy Information Administration
- Mineral resources:Mineral Commodity Summaries ↗ - U.S. Geological Survey