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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
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)
Administrative divisions: 3 districts (landsdele); Avannaa
(Nordgronland), Tunu (Ostgronland), Kitaa (Vestgronland)
Independence: none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing
overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1979)
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 of Denmark (since 14
January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Gunnar MARTENS (since
NA 1995)
head of government: Prime Minister Jonathan MOTZFELDT (since
NA September 1997)
cabinet: Landsstyre is formed from the Parliament on the
basis of the strength of parties
elections: the monarch is hereditary; high commissioner
appointed by the monarch; prime minister is elected by the Parliament
(usually the leader of the majority party); election last held 11
March 1999 (next to be held NA 2003)
election results: Jonathan MOTZFELDT reelected prime minister;
percent of parliamentary vote—23 out of 31 votes
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Landsting
(31 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional
representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held on 17 February 1999 (next to be held
by NA 2003)
election results: percent of vote by party—Siumut 35.2%,
Inuit Ataqatigiit 22%, Atassut Party 25.2%, Candidates' League 12.3%;
seats by party—Siumut 11, Atassut Party 8, Inuit Ataqatigiit
7, Candidates' League 4, independent 1
note: 2 representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament
or Folketing on NA March 1998 (next to be held by NA 2002); percent
of vote by party—Siumut 35.6%, Atassut 35.2%; seats by party—Siumut
1, Atassut 1; Greenlandic representatives are affiliated with Danish
political parties
Judicial branch: High Court or Landsret
Political parties and leaders: two-party ruling coalition;
Siumut (Forward Party, a moderate socialist party that advocates
more distinct Greenlandic identity and greater autonomy from Denmark)
[Lars Emil JOHANSEN, chairman]; Inuit Ataqatigiit or IA (Eskimo
Brotherhood, a Marxist-Leninist party that favors complete independence
from Denmark rather than home rule) [Josef MOTZFELDT]; Atassut Party
(Solidarity, a more conservative party that favors continuing close
relations with Denmark) [Daniel SKIFTE]; Akulliit Party [Bjarne
KREUTZMANN]; Issituup (Polar Party) [Nicolai HEINRICH]; Candidates'
League [leader NA]
International organization participation: NC, NIB
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (self-governing
overseas administrative division of Denmark)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (self-governing
overseas administrative division of Denmark)
Flag description: 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 suffered negative economic
growth in the early 1990s, but since 1993 the economy has improved.
The Greenland Home Rule Government (GHRG) has pursued a light fiscal
policy since the late 1980s which has helped create surpluses in
the public budget and low inflation. Since 1990, Greenland has registered
a foreign trade deficit following the closure of the last remaining
lead and zinc mine in 1989. Greenland today is critically dependent
on fishing and fish exports; the shrimp fishery is by far the largest
income earner. Despite resumption of several interesting hydrocarbon
and minerals exploration activities, it will take several years
before production can materialize. Tourism is the only sector offering
any near-term potential and even this is limited due to a short
season and high costs. The public sector, including publicly owned
enterprises and the municipalities, plays the dominant role in Greenland's
economy. About half the government revenues come from grants from
the Danish Government, an important supplement of GDP.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$945 million (1997 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: 0.6% (1997 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity—$16,100
(1997 est.)
GDP—composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.6% (1997 est.)
Labor force: 24,500 (1995 est.)
Unemployment rate: 10.5% (1995 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $706 million
expenditures: $697 million, including capital expenditures
of $NA (1995)
Industries: fish processing (mainly shrimp), handicrafts,
furs, small shipyards
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity—production: 245 million kWh (1996)
Electricity—production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)
Electricity—consumption: 245 million kWh (1996)
Electricity—exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture—products: forage crops, garden vegetables;
sheep; fish
Exports: $363.4 million (f.o.b., 1995)
Exports—commodities: fish and fish products 95%
Exports—partners: Denmark 89%, Japan 5%, UK 5%
Imports: $421 million (c.i.f., 1995)
Imports—commodities: machinery and transport equipment
25%, manufactured goods 18%, food and live animals 11%, petroleum
products 6%
Imports—partners: Denmark 7.5%, Iceland 3.8%, Japan
3.3%, Norway 3.1%, US 2.4%, Germany 2.4%, Sweden 1.8%
Debt—external: $243 million (1995)
Economic aid—recipient: $427 million (annual subsidy
from Denmark) (1995)
Currency: 1 Danish krone (DKr) = 100 oere
Exchange rates: Danish kroner (DKr) per US$1—6.401
(January 1999), 6.701 (1998), 6.604 (1997), 5.799 (1996), 5.602
(1995), 6.361 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Telephones: 19,600 (1995 est.)
Telephone system: adequate domestic and international
service provided by cables and microwave radio relay; totally digitalized
in 1995
domestic: microwave radio relay
international: 2 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth
station—1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: 1 publicly-owned station and
some local radio and TV stations
Radios: 23,000 (1991 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1 publicly-owned station
and some local low-power stations; in addition, there are three
AFRTS (US Air Force) stations which broadcast in the NTSC system
(1997)
Televisions: 12,000 (1991 est.)
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 150 km
paved: 60 km
unpaved: 90 km
Ports and harbors: Kangerluarsoruseq, Kangerlussuaq, Nanortalik,
Narsarsuaq, Nuuk (Godthab), Sisimiut
Merchant marine:
total: 1 passenger (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,211 GRT/162
DWT (1998 est.)
Airports: 13 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways:
total: 9
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 4 (1998 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways:
total: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Military—note: defense is the responsibility of Denmark
Disputes—international: none
Source: 1999 CIA World Factbook
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