Greenland in facts and figures
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Monthly Digital Subscription
$1 per week for 24 weeks*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*Billed as $4.00 plus GST every four weeks. After 24 weeks, price increases to the regular rate of $19.00 plus GST every four weeks. Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.
Monthly Digital Subscription
$4.75/week*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*Billed as $19 plus GST every four weeks. Cancel any time.
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Winnipeg Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
*$1 will be added to your next bill. After your 4 weeks access is complete your rate will increase by $0.00 a X percent off the regular rate.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 11/03/2025 (205 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
NUUK, Greenland (AP) — Greenland is having a moment in the spotlight as U.S. President Donald Trump maneuvers to gain control of the mineral-rich Arctic country. Here are some facts and figures about it:
Population
56,699
Eligible Voters
About 40,000
Biggest cities
Nuuk — 19,880
Sisimiut — 5,412
Ilulissat — 4,963
Qaqortaq — 3,047
Aasiaat — 2,951
Economy
Fishing produces about 90% of Greenland’s exports. Hunting is still an important source of food and income. Seals, whales, reindeer and musk ox are all hunted.
Tourism is increasingly important. More than 96,000 international passengers traveled through the country’s airports in 2023, up 28% from 2015.
Government jobs account for more than 40% of employment. Fishing, hunting and agriculture employ about 15% of the workforce, followed by wholesalers, 11%; construction, 8%; and transportation, 7%.
Natural Resources
Zinc, lead, iron ore, coal, molybdenum, gold, platinum, uranium, copper, nickel, rare earth minerals, hydropower and possibly oil and gas.
Public finances
Greenland relies heavily on an annual block grant from Denmark. In 2023, the grant was 4.144 billion kroner ($614.4 million), or about half of the Greenland government’s revenue and 20% of gross domestic product.
Geography
Greenland is the world’s 12th-largest country, covering more than 2.16 million square kilometers (836,330 square miles).
About 80% of that territory is covered by ice.
Government
Head of State: King Frederik X of Denmark
Prime Minister: Múte Bourup Egede heads the government of Greenland, known as the Naalakkersuisut.
Greenland’s parliament, the Inatsisartut, has 31 members.
Results of the 2021 parliamentary election
Party Votes (%) Seats
Inuit Ataqatigiit (United Inuit) 9,933 (36.6%) 12
Siumut (Forward) 7,986 (29.5%) 10
Naleraq (Point of Orientation) 3,252 (12%) 4
Demokraatit (Democrats) 2,454 (9.1%) 3
Atassut (Solidarity) 1,878 (6.9%) 2
Sources
Statistics Greenland; European Parliament
