Greenland:
Geography

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Other pages in this profile of Greenland:
People, Government, Economy, Communications & Transportation, Military & Transnational Issues.


Background	Definition Greenland, the world's largest island, is about 81% ice-capped. Vikings reached the island in the 10th century from Iceland; Danish colonization began in the 18th century, and Greenland was made an integral part of Denmark in 1953. It joined the European Community (now the EU) with Denmark in 1973, but withdrew in 1985 over a dispute centered on stringent fishing quotas. Greenland was granted self-government in 1979 by the Danish parliament; the law went into effect the following year. Denmark continues to exercise control of Greenland's foreign affairs in consultation with Greenland's Home Rule Government.

Location	Definition Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada
Geographic coordinates	Definition 72 00 N, 40 00 W
Map references	Definition Arctic Region
Area	Definition - World rank and map total: 2,166,086 sq km land: 2,166,086 sq km (410,449 sq km ice-free, 1,755,637 sq km ice-covered) (2000 est.)
Area - comparative	Definition slightly more than three times the size of Texas
Land boundaries	Definition 0 km
Coastline	Definition 44,087 km
Maritime claims	Definition territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line
Climate	Definition arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters
Terrain	Definition flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow, mountainous, barren, rocky coast
Elevation extremes	Definition lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Gunnbjorn 3,700 m
Natural resources	Definition coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, molybdenum, diamonds, gold, platinum, niobium, tantalite, uranium, fish, seals, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas
Land use	Definition - World rank and map arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)
Irrigated land	Definition NA
Natural hazards	Definition continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island
Environment - current issues	Definition protection of the arctic environment; preservation of the Inuit traditional way of life, including whaling and seal hunting
Geography - note	Definition dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe; sparse population confined to small settlements along coast; close to one-quarter of the population lives in the capital, Nuuk; world's second largest ice cap

Greenland: Geography

Greenland:
Geography