Greenland

Greenland, the largest island of the world is located in the northern North America. It is a self-governing Danish territory. The nearest countries of Greenland are Iceland and Canada. Home rule was granted in 1978 by Denmark to Greenland. Greenland is the home of the world's largest national park. It is ethnically related to Arctic island nations while politically and historically it relates to European nations like Iceland, Norway, and Denmark. Nuuk is the capital of Greenland. It has no regular military force. Defense responsibilities are entirely carried out by the Kingdom of Denmark.


HISTORY:- Greenland was inhabited by the Norse settlers in 984. The Inuits migrated into the Greenland. Eric the Red colonized Greenland in 985. The Norse settlements declined in the 14th century as a consequence of freezing climate of Greenland. In 1721, the Royal Greenland Trading Company of Denmark reasserted the colonization in Greenland. During the World War II, Denmark was annexed by the Germans and the Greenland became US protectorate. In 1953, Greenland was incorporated into The Danish Kingdom after the amendments to the Danish constitution. In 1979 Greenland was granted home rule.

 

GEOGRAPHY:- Greenland is located at 72 00 N, 40 00 W in the north of North America. The largest island occupies total 2,166,086 sq km area on the surface of the world in which 1,755,637 sq km area is ice-covered. Greenland is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, the Greenland Sea to the east; the Arctic Ocean to the north; and the Baffin Bay to the west. The coastline is 44,087 km long bordering the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean. The lowest point is Atlantic Ocean (0 m) and the highest point is Gunnbjorn (3,700 m). Greenland is a flat to gradually sloping ice-cap which covers almost the entire land except a narrow, mountainous, unfertile and rocky coast.

 

CLIMATE:- The climate of Greenland is arctic to sub-arctic with cold summers and freezing winters.

 

GOVERNMENT:- Greenland is a part of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is an autonomous Danish administrative division. Greenland has a parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy. The Danish constitution was adopted as the formal constitution of Greenland. The legal system is based on the Danish law. The three major governmental braches are:

Executive branch comprises the Queen of Denmark (chief of state), the Prime minister (head of government), and the cabinet. The Queen is represented by the High Commissioner. The Home Rule Government is elected by the Parliament. The Prime minister is elected by the Parliament.

Legislative branch comprises the unicameral Parliament (31 seats).

Judicial branch comprises the High Court.

 The major political parties are Atassut Party, Demokratiit, Inuit Ataqatigiit, Kattusseqatigiit etc. Voting rights are imposed universally at the age of 18.

Monarch  Margrethe II

Prime Minister Hans Enoksen

 

ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISIONS:- Greenland is divided into 3 counties- Avannaa (Nordgronland), Tunu (Ostgronland), Kitaa (Vestgronland).

These counties are further sub-divided into 18 municipalities.

 

CULTURE:- Inuit tradition has influenced the culture of Greenland. Association football is the national sport of Green land.

 

ECONOMY:- Fish export is a major contributor in the economy of Greenland. Substantial subsidy from the Danish Government provides 50% of the government revenues.

GDP/PPP: (2001 est.): $1.1 billion; $20,000 per capita.

Real growth rate: 1.8%.

Inflation: 1.6% (1999 est.).

Unemployment: 10% (2000 est.).

Arable land: 0%.

Agriculture: Forage crops, garden and greenhouse vegetables; sheep, reindeer; fish . Labor force: 24,500 (1995 est.).

Industries: Fish processing (mainly shrimp and Greenland halibut); gold, niobium, tantalite, uranium, iron and diamond mining; handicrafts, hides and skins, small shipyards.

Budget:  

Revenues: $1.36 billion

Expenditures: $1.27 billion (2005)

Debt - external: $25 million (1999)

Natural resources: Zinc, lead, iron ore, coal, molybdenum, gold, platinum, uranium, fish, seals, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas.

Exports: $480 million f.o.b. (2004 est.): fish and fish products 94% (prawns 63%).

Imports: $601 million c.i.f. (2004): machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, petroleum products.

Major trading partners: Denmark, Japan, China, Sweden, Norway (2004).

Monetary unit: Krone

 

LANGUAGE:- Greenlandic, Danish are the official languages. English is also spoken in Greenland.

 

CITIES:- The capital Nuuk (Godthab) is the largest city of Greenland.

 

POPULATION:- The estimated population is 56,344 with a growth rate of 0.0%.

Density per sq mi: 0.0

Literacy rate: N.A

 

RACE:-

Greenlander 88% (Eskimos and Greenland-born whites)

Danish and other 12% (2000)

 

RELIGION:- The only religion of Greenland is Evangelical Lutheran.

 

HEALTH:-

Birth rate: 16.08 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate: 8.04 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 14.56 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.53 years

Total fertility rate: 2.39 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

 

TRANSPORTATION:-

Airports: 14 (2007); paved runways: total: 9; unpaved runways: total: 5

Ports and terminals: Sisimiut

 



 

Posted by subhasis on Saturday Jul 19  reply


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