Greenland Map

Part of the Kingdom of Denmark, Greenland is an autonomous country, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. While Greenland is located on the continent of North America, Greenland is more closely associated with Europe, as a dependency of Denmark. Because of Greenland's location in the far north, much of the island is covered in ice throughout the year. Of Greenland's total area of 2,166,086 square kilometers (836,330 square miles), about 1,755,637 square kilometers (677,85 square miles) are covered in ice, making up about 81 percent of the land.

The coastal regions of Greenland are where all of the towns are located, primarily on the west. Greenland's capital and largest city is called Nuuk. The total population of Greenland is about 60,000, with about 15,000 living in Nuuk. The majority of Greenland's population is Inuit, the native North Americans, and about 12 percent of the population is European.

Greenland was originally inhabited by several civilizations of Eskimos and other native groups. The island was explored and then settled by Nordic nations beginning in around 986 AD. Greenland became a colony of Denmark in 1814, and then a commonwealth in 1953. Greenland continues to be a dependency of Denmark under the rule of the Danish monarchy, though it has gained increasing autonomy over time.

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Last Updated On : October 10, 2012