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

Natural resources: zinc, lead, iron ore, coal, molybdenum, gold,
platinum, uranium, fish, seals, whales

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 1%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 99% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds
of the island

Environment--current issues: protection of the arctic environment;
preservation of their traditional way of life, including whaling;
note--Greenland participates actively in Inuit Circumpolar Conference
(ICC)

Environment--international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA

Geography--note: dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North
America and Europe; sparse population confined to small settlements
along coast

People

Population: 59,827 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 26% (male 7,789; female 7,728)
15-64 years: 68% (male 22,248; female 18,678)
65 years and over: 6% (male 1,562; female 1,822) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.84% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 15.23 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 6.79 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.19 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 20.06 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.1 years
male: 65.98 years
female: 74.24 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.14 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Greenlander(s)
adjective: Greenlandic

Ethnic groups: Greenlander 87% (Eskimos and Greenland-born
whites), Danish and others 13%

Religions: Evangelical Lutheran

Languages: Eskimo dialects, Danish, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect)

Literacy: NA
note: similar to Denmark proper

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Greenland
local long form: none
local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat

Data code: GL

Dependency status: part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing
overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1979

Government type: NA

Capital: Nuuk (Godthab)

Admini