Greenland

Airports

11 total, 8 usable; 5 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Civil air

2 major transport aircraft

Highways

80 km

Merchant marine

1 refrigerated cargo (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,021 GRT/1,778 DWT; note--operates under the registry of Denmark

Ports

Kangerluarsoruseq (Faeringehavn), Paamiut (Frederikshaab), Nuuk (Godthaab), Sisimiut (Holsteinsborg), Julianehaab, Maarmorilik, North Star Bay, and at least 10 minor ports

Telecommunications

adequate domestic and international service provided by cables and radio relay; 17,900 telephones; stations--5 AM, 7 (35 relays) FM, 4 (9 relays) TV; 2 coaxial submarine cables; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Note

defense is responsibility of Denmark

Agriculture

sector dominated by fishing and sheep raising; crops limited to forage and small garden vegetables; 1987 fish catch of 101,000 metric tons

Aid

none

Budget

revenues $380 million; expenditures $380 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1985)

Currency

Danish krone (plural--kroner); 1 Danish krone (DKr) = 100 ore

Electricity

84,000 kW capacity; 176 million kWh produced, 3,180 kWh per capita (1989)

Exchange rates

Danish kroner (DKr) per US$1--6.560 (January 1990), 7.310 (1989), 6.732 (1988), 6.840 (1987), 8.091 (1986), 10.596 (1985)

Exports

$386.2 million (f.o.b., 1988); commodities--fish and fish products, metallic ores and concentrates; partners--Denmark 76%, FRG 7%, Sweden 5%

External debt

$445 million (1988)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GNP

$500 million, per capita $9,000; real growth rate 5% (1988)

Imports

$445.6 million (c.i.f., 1988); commodities--petroleum and petroleum products, machinery and transport equipment, food products; partners--Denmark 66%, Norway 5%, Sweden 4%, FRG 4%, Japan 4% US 3%

Industrial production

growth rate NA%

Industries

fish processing, lead and zinc mining, handicrafts

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.9% (1987)

Overview

Over the past 25 years, the economy has changed from one based on subsistence whaling, hunting, and fishing to one dependent on foreign trade. Fishing is still the most important industry, accounting for over two-thirds of exports and about 25% of the population's income. Exploitation of mineral resources is limited to lead and zinc. Maintenance of a social welfare system similar to Denmark's has given the public sector a dominant role in the economy. Greenland is heavily dependent on an annual subsidy of about $400 million from the Danish Government.

Unemployment rate

10%

Climate

arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters

Coastline

44,087 km

Comparative area

slightly more than three times the size of Texas

Contiguous zone

4 nm;

Continental shelf

200 meters or to depth of exploitation;

Disputes

Denmark has challenged Norway's maritime claims between Greenland and Jan Mayen

Environment

sparse population confined to small settlements along coast; continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island

Exclusive fishing zone

200 nm;

Land boundaries

none

Land use

0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 1% meadows and pastures; NEGL% forest and woodland; 99% other

Natural resources

zinc, lead, iron ore, coal, molybdenum, cryolite, uranium, fish

Note

dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe

Terrain

flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow, mountainous, barren, rocky coast

Territorial sea

3 nm

Total area

2,175,600 km2; land area: 341,700 km2 (ice free)

Administrative divisions

3 municipalities (kommuner, singular--kommun); Nordgronland, Ostgronland, Vestgronland

Capital

Nuuk (Godthab)

Constitution

Danish

Diplomatic representation

none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Executive branch

Danish monarch, high commissioner, home rule chairman, prime minister, Cabinet (Landsstyre)

Flag

the flag of Denmark is used

Independence

part of the Danish realm; self-governing overseas administrative division

Judicial branch

High Court (Landsret) Chief of State--Queen MARGRETHE II (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Bent KLINTE (since NA); Head of Government--Home Rule Chairman Jonathan MOTZFELDT (since NA May 1979)

Legal system

Danish

Legislative branch

unicameral Parliament (Landsting)

Long-form name

none

National holiday

Birthday of the Queen, 16 April (1940)

Political parties

Siumut (moderate socialist, advocates more distinct Greenlandic identity and greater autonomy from Denmark); Atassut Party (more conservative, favors continuing close relations with Denmark); Inuit Ataqatigiit (Marxist-Leninist party that favors complete independence from Denmark rather than home rule); Polar Party (Conservative-Greenland Nationalist)

Suffrage

universal at age 18 Parliament--last held on 27 May 1987 (next to be held by 27 May 1991); results--Siumut 39.8%, Atassut Party 40.1%, Inuit Ataqatigiit 15.3%, Polar Party 4.5%; seats--(27 total) Siumut 11, Atassut Party 11, Inuit Ataqatigiit 4, Polar Party 1; Danish Parliament--last held on 10 May 1988 (next to be held by 10 May 1992); Greenland elects two representatives to the Danish Parliament; results--(percent of vote by party NA; seats--(2 total) number of seats by party NA

Type

part of the Danish realm; self-governing overseas administrative division

Birth rate

20 births/1,000 population (1990)

Death rate

8 deaths/1,000 population (1990)

Ethnic divisions

86% Greenlander (Eskimos and Greenland-born Caucasians), 14% Danish

Infant mortality rate

28 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Labor force

22,800; largely engaged in fishing, hunting, sheep breeding

Language

Eskimo dialects, Danish

Life expectancy at birth

62 years male, 68 years female (1990)

Literacy

99%

Nationality

noun--Greenlander(s); adjective--Greenlandic

Net migration rate

0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)

Organized labor

NA

Population

56,078 (July 1990), growth rate 1.2% (1990)

Religion

Evangelical Lutheran

Total fertility rate

2.2 children born/woman (1990)