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@Greenland

Introduction
Greenland

Background:

Greenland, the world's largest island, is about 81% ice-capped.
Vikings reached the island in the 10th century from Iceland; Danish
colonization began in the 18th century, and Greenland was made an
integral part of Denmark in 1953. It joined the European Community
(now the EU) with Denmark in 1973, but withdrew in 1985 over a
dispute centered on stringent fishing quotas. Greenland was granted
self-government in 1979 by the Danish parliament; the law went into
effect the following year. Denmark continues to exercise control of
Greenland's foreign affairs in consultation with Greenland's Home
Rule Government.

Geography
Greenland

Location:

Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean and the
North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada

Geographic coordinates:

72 00 N, 40 00 W

Map references:

Arctic Region

Area:

total: 2,166,086 sq km
land: 2,166,086 sq km (410,449 sq km ice-free, 1,755,637 sq km
ice-covered) (2000 est.)

Area - comparative:

slightly more than three times the size of Texas

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

44,087 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line
continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line

Climate:

arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters

Terrain:

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

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Gunnbjorn 3,700 m

Natural resources:

coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, molybdenum, diamonds, gold, platinum,
niobium, tantalite, uranium, fish, seals, whales, hydropower,
possible oil and gas

Land use:

arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island

Environment - current issues:

protection of the arctic environment; preservation of the Inuit
traditional way of life, including whaling and seal hunting

Geography - note:

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 i