close to one-quarter of the population lives in the capital, Nuuk;
world's second largest ice cap
People Greenland
Population:
56,385 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:
0–14 years: 25.9% (male 7,463; female 7,161)
15–64 years: 68.3% (male 20,885; female 17,605)
65 years and over: 5.8% (male 1,508; female 1,763) (2003 est.)
Median age:
total: 33.1 years
male: 34.3 years
female: 31.7 years (2002)
Population growth rate:
0.01% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:
16.09 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:
7.66 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:
−8.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15–64 years: 1.19 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 1.13 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 16.8 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 15.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 18.09 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69 years
male: 65.44 years
female: 72.65 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.43 children born/woman (2003 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% (January 2000)
Religions:
Evangelical Lutheran
Languages:
Greenlandic (East Inuit), Danish, English
Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% note: similar to Denmark proper
Government Greenland
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Greenland
local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat
local long form: none
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:
Nuuk (Godthab)
Administrative divisions:
3 districts (landsdele); Avannaa (Nordgronland), Tunu
(Ostgronland), Kitaa (Vestgronland)
note: there are 18 municipalities in Greenland
Independence:
none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas
administrative division of Denmark since 1979)
note: 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:
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)
note: government coalition - Siumut and Inuit Ataqatigiit
election results: Hans ENOKSEN elected prime minister
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 last held 3 December 2002
(next to be held NA December 2006)
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)
note: two representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament or
Folketing on 20 November 2001 (next to be held no later than
November 2005); percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
Siumut 1, Inuit Ataqatigiit 1
election results: percent of vote by party - Siumut 28.7%, Inuit
Ataqatigiit 25.5%, Atassut Party 20.4%, Demokratiit 15.6%,
Katusseqatigiit 5.3%; seats by party - Siumut 10, Inuit Ataqatigiit
8, Atassut 7, Demokratiit 5, Katusseqatigiit 1
elections: last held on 3 December 2002 (next to be held by NA
December 2006)
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:
Akulliit Party [Bjarne KREUTZMANN]; Atassut Party (Solidarity, a
conservative party favoring continuing close relations with Denmark)
[Augusta SALLING]; Demokratiit [Per BERTHELSEN]; Inuit Ataqatigiit
or IA (Eskimo Brotherhood, a leftist party favoring complete
independence from Denmark rather than home rule) [Josef MOTZFELDT];
Issituup (Polar Party) [Nicolai HEINRICH]; Kattusseqatigiit