Greenland is located in the northeastern part of North America, between the Arctic Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean, and is separated from Canada and Iceland by straits. It is the world's largest island, with an area of 2.16 million square kilometers, and is known for having the largest ice sheet in the Northern Hemisphere, covering 81% of its total area. Greenland is one of the most challenging places for human survival on Earth.
Greenland is a territory of Denmark, with its capital in Nuuk. Most of its population, approximately 57,100, is concentrated in the western and southwestern parts of the island, with Inuit (Eskimo) people making up the majority. Greenlandic is the official language. The ice-free area of Greenland is about 340,000 square kilometers, but much of the northern and eastern coasts are harsh, uninhabited wilderness. The habitable areas are approximately 150,000 square kilometers, primarily located in the southern part of the west coast. Due to its vast north-south extent, Greenland experiences significant climatic differences between regions and exhibits polar phenomena such as the Midnight Sun and Polar Night within the Arctic Circle.
Over 1,000 years ago, the Inuit people from northern Canada migrated to Greenland, where they lived by fishing and hunting for generations. In 982 AD, Norse settlers from Iceland discovered Greenland, and it became a Norwegian colony in 1261. When Denmark and Norway formed a union in 1380, Greenland was jointly governed by both countries. After Denmark and Norway separated in 1841, Greenland became a Danish colony. Norway and Denmark later disputed the island’s ownership, and in 1933, Denmark and Norway agreed to submit the dispute to the Permanent Court of International Justice, which awarded full sovereignty of Greenland to Denmark. On May 1, 1979, Greenland was granted home rule, though Denmark retained control over foreign affairs, defense, and justice.
Greenland has a polar climate, with only the southwestern part slightly warmer due to the influence of the Gulf Stream. In winter (January), average temperatures are around -6°C in the south and -35°C in the north. In summer (July), the southwestern coast has an average temperature of 7°C, while the northernmost part averages 3.6°C. Scientists estimate that the total volume of ice on the island is 26 million cubic kilometers. If all this ice were to melt, global sea levels would rise by 6.5 meters.
Greenland is known for its "eternal ice," with an average ice thickness of 2,300 meters, making it the second-largest ice mass after Antarctica’s ice sheets.
The island is rich in natural resources, including significant reserves of oil and gas onshore and offshore. The northeastern part alone holds an estimated 31 billion barrels of oil, nearly 80 times the oil reserves of Denmark’s North Sea region. Greenland also has economically valuable deposits of lead, zinc, and cryolite. Exploration in the 1970s revealed promising uranium, copper, and molybdenum deposits, and a large gold deposit was discovered in 1989. However, concerns about climate and ecological impacts have severely restricted the exploitation of these mineral resources.
Greenland has a polar climate, with the southwestern part experiencing slightly higher temperatures due to the influence of the Gulf Stream. In winter (January), average temperatures are -6°C in the south and -35°C in the north. Summer (July) temperatures are around 7°C on the southwestern coast and 3.6°C in the northernmost areas. Scientists estimate that the total ice volume on the island is 26 million cubic kilometers. If all this ice melted, global sea levels would rise by 6.5 meters.
Greenland is known for its "eternal ice," with an average ice thickness of 2,300 meters, second only to Antarctica’s massive ice sheets.
The island has significant natural resources, including substantial oil and gas reserves both onshore and offshore. The northeastern part alone contains an estimated 31 billion barrels of oil, nearly 80 times the oil reserves of Denmark's North Sea region. Greenland also has valuable deposits of lead, zinc, and cryolite. Exploration in the 1970s revealed promising uranium, copper, and molybdenum deposits, and a large gold deposit was discovered in 1989. However, concerns about climate and ecological impacts have severely limited the extraction of these mineral resources.