Facts and history

* Greenland is in Greenlandic called Kalaallit Nunaat - the Land of People.

* Greenland is a mountainous country and is the largest island in the world with a total of 2.175,600 sq. km.

* Greenland has a population of approx. 56,000, which gives us more than 39 sq.km. per person. The population lives in towns or settlement in the ice-free part of the country along the coast. The majority lives in Western Greenland.

*Geographically, Greenland is part of the North American continent; geopolitically, the country is part of Europe, and nationally Greenland is part of Denmark.

* Until World War II, Greenland was closed and self-sufficient economically. During the war, the country was supplied by the USA, which established a number of bases, of which all but three were closed down after the war. Today only the military airbase Pituffik (Thule) in North Greenland is left.

* Greenland ceased to be a Danish colony in 1953 when Greenlanders became equal citizens of the kingdom of Denmark. In 1979 the country achieved Home Rule status and authorized to have its own parliament. In 2009, the country's status changed as the socalled 'self rule' was introduced. Instead of 'Home Rule Government', today we simply refer to the 'Greenland Government'.

* North America is Greenland's closest neighbor, being separated by just 26 km of water. From the most northerly point on Greenland it is approx. 700 km to the North Pole.

* Greenland has been populated by small groups of people, migrating several times across the sea ice from northern Canada. The first time was about 2500 BC.

* The first Christian church on the American continent was built in Greenland. It was Tjodhild's Church in Brattahlid in South Greenland.

* The 1000th anniversary of Leif Eriksson's arrival in North America - 500 years before Columbus - took place in the year of 2000. The Norse Leif Eriksson reached Vinland (today New Foundland) in the year of 1000, sailing out from Brattahlid in South Greenland.

* The The majorities of the Greenlandic population have Inuit background and have a strong affiliation with the Inuit in Canada, Alaska and Siberia.

* Greenlandic is closely related to the language of the Inuit in Canada and Alaska and is the official language of the country.

* The Greenlandic words: Kayak, anorak and igloo have been adopted directly by many other languages.

* 85% of the country is covered by inland ice, which rise up to 3000 m above sea level. The ice cap was first crossed in 1888. The journey was made on skis.

* The most active glacier in the northern hemisphere is found in Ilulissat (Jakobshavn), producing 20-25 billion tons of ice annually. Some of the largest icebergs are found around Ilulissat and these may be up to 100 meters high above sea level (and only 10-15% of the iceberg is visible above water).

* The icebergs move northwards by the current, then south where many do not melt until they level with New York.

* The national dish of Greenland is boiled seal meat with rice and onions (in Greenlandic "suaassat"). A particular delicacy is raw whale skin with a thin layer of blubber (in Greenlandic "mattak").

* The dogsled and Greenland's 20,000 sled dogs are still a vital form of transport for many during the winter. Dogsleds always have right of way.

* The killing of baby seals does not and has never taken place in Greenland. The Greenland seals do not breed in Greenland and it is far from the Greenlandic hunting tradition to hunt baby seals, which do not carry much meat.

* Greenland's art has historically been of a functional nature. Objets d'art did not exist in the old Eskimo society. Today much modern art is still inspired by the old cultural images.

* The capital of Greenland is Nuuk with a population of 15,000. Greenland's only light controlled pedistrian crossing and only roundabouts are in Nuuk.

* Roads connect none of Greenland's towns. There are primarily two ways of covering long distances: by aircraft/helicopter, or by ship.

The history of Greenland in 12 sentences
- First Inuit came 4,500 years ago
- 6 waves of immigration or 6 cultures
- The Thule Culture came about 1,000 years ago. They were highly
   skilled hunters with kayaks, umiaqs and dogsleds
- 982 AD: Eric the Red finds his way to Greenland
- 1000: Christianity comes to the North American Continent with
   Leif Eriksson
- 1300: Norse and Inuit finally meet
- 1408: Last written reports about the Norsemen
- 1721: Hans Egede Christianizes the Inuit
- 1900: Knud Rasmussen begins his famous expeditions
- 1941: First American bases
- 1953: New Constitution
- 1979: Home Rule Government
- 2009: Greenland Government

Geography
- The largest island in the world
- From South to North: 2,700 kilometers
- Size: 2,175,600 sq. km - which is the same as France, Great Britain,
Germany, Spain, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, and Belgium combined!
- Only 410,449 square km are ice free - equivalent to the British Isles.
- Canada is Greenland's closest neighbor - only 26 km away at the
   closest point

Government of Greenland
Greenland is part of the Danish kingdom. Since the introduction of the Home Rule in 1979, the Government of Greenland has assumed yet more responsibility for all aspect of government with the exception of foreign policy, defense and the judicial system. For further information about the Government of Greenland, please contact:

Department of Information
P.O. Box 1015
DK-3900 Nuuk
Greenland
Tel: +299 34 50 00
Fax: +299 32 86 02
info@gh.gl
http://www.nanoq.gl/