Greenland




                                  Header


Affiliation:
     (part of the Danish realm)


                                 Geography


Location:
     Northern North America, in the North Atlantic Ocean, between Canada
     and Norway
Map references:
     Arctic Region, North America, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
     2,175,600 sq km
land area:
     383,600 sq km (ice free)
comparative area:
     slightly more than three times the size of Texas
Land boundaries:
     0 km
Coastline:
     44,087 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone:
     200 nm
territorial sea:
     3 nm
International disputes:
     dispute betwen Denmark and Norway over maritime boundary in Arctic
     Ocean between Greenland and Jan Mayen has been settled by the
     International Court of Justice (ICJ)
Climate:
     arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters
Terrain:
     flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow, mountainous,
     barren, rocky coast
Natural resources:
     zinc, lead, iron ore, coal, molybdenum, cryolite, uranium, fish
Land use:
arable land:
     0%
permanent crops:
     0%
meadows and pastures:
     1%
forest and woodland:
     0%
other:
     99%
Irrigated land:
     NA sq km




Environment:
current issues:
     NA
natural hazards:
     NA
international agreements:
     NA
Note:
     dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe;
     sparse population confined to small settlements along coast;
     continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island


                                  People


Population:
     57,040 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
     0.94% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
     18.6 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
     7.43 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
     -1.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
     26.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
     66.91 years
male:
     62.55 years
female:
     71.28 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
     2.29 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
     Greenlander(s)
adjective:
     Greenlandic
Ethnic divisions:
     Greenlander 86% (Eskimos and Greenland-born Caucasians), Danish 14%
Religions:
     Evangelical Lutheran
Languages:
     Eskimo dialects, Danish
Literacy:
total population:
     NA%
male:
     NA%
female:
     NA%
Labor force:
     22,800




by occupation:
     largely engaged in fishing, hunting, sheep breeding


                                Government


Names:
conventional long form:
     none
conventional short form:
local long form:
     none
local short form:
     Kalaallit Nunaat
Digraph:
     GL
Type:
     part of the Danish realm; self-governing overseas administrative
     division
Capital:
     Nuuk (Godthab)
Administrative divisions:
     3 municipalities (kommuner, singular - kommun); Nordgronland,
     Ostgronland, Vestgronland
Independence:
     none (part of the Danish realm; self-governing overseas administrative
     division)
National holiday:
     Birthday of the Queen, 16 April (1940)
Constitution:
     5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)
Legal system:
     Danish
Suffrage:
     18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:
     Queen MARGRETHE II (since 14 January 1972), represented by High
     Commissioner Torben Hede PEDERSEN (since NA)
head of government:
     Home Rule Chairman Lars Emil JOHANSEN (since 15 March 1991)
cabinet:
     Landsstyre; formed from the Landsting on basis of strength of parties
Legislative branch:
     unicameral
Parliament (Landsting):
     elections last held on 5 March 1991 (next to be held 5 March 1995);
     results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (27 total) Siumut 11,
     Atassut Party 8, Inuit Ataqatigiit 5, Center Party 2, Polar Party 1
Danish Folketing:
     last held on 12 December 1990 (next to be held by December 1994);
     Greenland elects two representatives to the Folketing; results -
     percent of vote by party NA; seats - (2 total) Siumut 1, Atassut 1
Judicial branch:
     High Court (Landsret)




Political parties and leaders:
     two-party ruling coalition; Siumut (a moderate socialist party that
     advocates more distinct Greenlandic identity and greater autonomy from
     Denmark), Lars Emil JOHANSEN, chairman; Inuit Ataqatigiit (IA; a
     Marxist-Leninist party that favors complete independence from Denmark
     rather than home rule), Arqaluk LYNGE; Atassut Party (a more
     conservative party that favors continuing close relations with
     Denmark), leader NA; Polar Party (conservative-Greenland nationalist),
     Lars CHEMNITZ; Center Party (a new nonsocialist protest party), leader
     NA
Diplomatic representation in US:
     none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)
US diplomatic representation:
     none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)
Flag:
     two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a large disk
     slightly to the hoist side of center - the top half of the disk is
     red, the bottom half is white


                                  Economy


Overview:
     Greenland's economic situation at present is difficult. Unemployment
     is increasing, and prospects for economic growth in the immediate
     future are dim. Following the closing of the Black Angel lead and zinc
     mine in 1989, Greenland became almost completely dependent on fishing
     and fish processing, the sector accounting for 95% of exports.
     Prospects for fisheries are not bright, as the important shrimp
     catches will at best stabilize and cod catches have dropped.
     Resumption of mining and hydrocarbon activities is not around the
     corner, thus leaving only tourism with some potential for the near
     future. The public sector in Greenland, i.e., the central government
     and its commercial entities and the municipalities, plays a dominant
     role in Greenland accounting for about two-thirds of total employment.
     About half the government's revenues come from grants from the Danish
     Government.
National product:
     GNP - purchasing power equivalent - $500 million (1988)
National product real growth rate:
     -10% (1990)
National product per capita:
     $9,000 (1988)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
     1.6% (1991)
Unemployment rate:
     9% (1990 est.)
Budget:
revenues:
     $381 million
expenditures:
     $381 million, including capital expenditures of $36 million (1989)
Exports:
     $340.6 million (f.o.b., 1991)
commodities:
     fish and fish products 95%




partners:
     Denmark 79%, Benelux 9%, Germany 5%
Imports:
     $403 million (c.i.f., 1991)
commodities:
     manufactured goods 28%, machinery and transport equipment 24%, food
     and live animals 12.4%, petroleum products 12%
partners:
     Denmark 65%, Norway 8.8%, US 4.6%, Germany 3.8%, Japan 3.8%, Sweden
     2.4%
External debt:
     $480 million (1990 est.)
Industrial production:
     growth rate NA%
Electricity:
capacity:
     84,000 kW
production:
     176 million kWh
consumption per capita:
     3,060 kWh (1992)
Industries:
     fish processing (mainly shrimp), lead and zinc mining, handicrafts,
     some small shipyards, potential for platinum and gold mining
Agriculture:
     sector dominated by fishing and sheep raising; crops limited to forage
     and small garden vegetables; 1988 fish catch of 133,500 metric tons
Economic aid:
     none
Currency:
     1 Danish krone (DKr) = 100 oere
Exchange rates:
     Danish kroner (DKr) per US$1 - 6.771 (January 1994), 6.484 (1993),
     6.036 (1992), 6.396 (1991), 6.189 (1990), 7.310 (1989)
Fiscal year:
     calendar year


                              Communications


Highways:
total:
     150 km
paved:
     60 km
unpaved:
     90 km
Ports:
     Kangerluarsoruseq (Faeringehavn), Paamiut (Frederikshaab), Nuuk
     (Godthaab), Sisimiut (Holsteinsborg), Julianehaab, Maarmorilik, North
     Star Bay
Airports:
total:
     11
usable:
     8




with permanent-surface runways:
     5
with runways over 3,659 m:
     0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
     2
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
     2
Telecommunications:
     adequate domestic and international service provided by cables and
     microwave radio relay; 17,900 telephones; broadcast stations - 5 AM, 7
     (35 repeaters) FM, 4 (9 repeaters) TV; 2 coaxial submarine cables; 1
     Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station


                              Defense Forces


Note:
     defense is responsibility of Denmark