4 facts about Greenland
Greenland is a place defined by a people, a history, and a culture of its own. Beyond the stereotypes of ice and geopolitics lies a modern, self-governing democracy with a distinct Indigenous identity, a strong welfare society, and a shared community.
Here are four important facts to understand Greenland today:
An Indigenous nation: Approximately 90% of Greenland’s population are Inuit. Greenland is one of the few places in the world where an Indigenous people form the majority and govern themselves. Their rights are protected under the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
A self-governing democracy: Greenland has had home rule since 1979 and self-government since 2009, with its own parliament (Inatsisartut), government (Naalakkersuisut), and official language (Kalaallisut). Greenland controls most domestic affairs including taxation, education, healthcare, and natural resources.
A high-trust welfare society: Greenland provides universal healthcare, free education through university, and comprehensive social services. Greenland has a higher standard of living than every U.S. territory – e.g. Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands.
A shared community: Greenland has 56,000 inhabitants. In addition, around 17,000 Greenlanders live in Denmark – nearly one in four Greenlanders. They are neighbours, colleagues, friends, and family to Danes. Greenland and Denmark are not distant partners but deeply interconnected societies with generations of shared history, daily collaboration, and personal bonds across the Atlantic.
Latest Updates
