The 2008 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency
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 ice cap
People
Greenland
Population:
57,564 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0–14 years: 23.5% (male 6,867/female 6,634) 15–64 years: 69.9% (male 21,683/female 18,575) 65 years and over: 6.6% (male 1,892/female 1,913) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 33.5 years male: 34.9 years female: 31.8 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.064% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
14.87 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
8.23 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
−5.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15–64 years: 1.17 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 11.2 deaths/1,000 live births male: 12.84 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.46 years male: 66.81 years female: 72.25 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.22 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
100 (1999)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Greenlander(s) adjective: Greenlandic
Ethnic groups:
Greenlander 88% (Inuit and Greenland-born whites), Danish and others 12% (2000)
Religions:
Evangelical Lutheran
Languages:
Greenlandic (East Inuit), Danish, English
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (2001 est.)
Education expenditures:
NA
Government
Greenland
Country name:
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Greenland local long form: none local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat
Dependency status:
part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1979
Government type:
parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy
Capital:
name: Nuuk (Godthab) geographic coordinates: 64 11 N, 51 45 W time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October note: Greenland is divided into four time zones
Administrative divisions:
3 districts (landsdele); Avannaa (Nordgronland), Tunu (Ostgronland), Kitaa (Vestgronland) note: there are 18 municipalities in Greenland
Independence:
none (extensive self-rule as part of the Kingdom of Denmark; foreign affairs is the responsibility of Denmark, but Greenland actively participates in international agreements relating to Greenland)
National holiday:
June 21 (longest day)
Constitution:
5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)
Legal system:
the laws of Denmark, where applicable, apply
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Soren MOLLER (since April 2005) head of government: Prime Minister Hans ENOKSEN (since 14 December 2002) cabinet: Home Rule Government is elected by the parliament (Landstinget) on the basis of the strength of parties elections: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by the monarch; prime minister is elected by parliament (usually the leader of the majority party); election results: Hans ENOKSEN reelected prime minister note: government coalition - Siumut and Inuit Ataqatigiit
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Landstinget (31 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: last held on 15 November 2005 (next to be held by December 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - Siumut 30.7%, Demokratiit 22.8%, IA 22.6%, Atassut Party 19.1%; Katusseqatigiit 4.1%, other 0.7%; seats by party - Siumut 10, Demokratiit 7, IA 7, Atassut 6, Katusseqatigiit 1 note: two representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament or Folketing on 13 November 2007 (next to be held in November 2011); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Siumut 1, Inuit Ataqatigiit 1
Judicial branch:
High Court or Landsret (appeals can be made to the Ostre Landsret or
Eastern Division of the High Court or Supreme Court in Copenhagen)
Political parties and leaders:
Atassut Party (Solidarity) [Finn KARLSEN] (a conservative party favoring continuing close relations with Denmark); Demokratiit [Per BERTHELSEN]; Inuit Ataqatigiit or IA (Eskimo Brotherhood) [Josef MOTZFELDT] (a leftist party favoring complete independence from Denmark rather than home rule); Kattusseqatigiit (Candidate List) (an independent right-of-center