Buzz
Given Greenland's vast size, it's surprising how many people forget its existence. The island remains relatively unknown due to its harsh climate, extended periods of darkness, isolation, and the challenge of reaching it.
Recently, however, Greenland has begun to draw more attention from both tourists and businesses. Many companies have discovered that there’s far more to Greenland than just snow and ice, while visitors have realized that the island’s rich history, culture, and natural wonders are only a few of its captivating qualities.
10. Geography
Greenland is recognized as an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. While it largely governs itself, Greenland still depends on Denmark for certain matters, including defense and a substantial financial subsidy that accounts for nearly 60 percent of its government revenue.
Covering an area of 2.2 million square kilometers (0.84 million mi), Greenland holds the title of the largest island in the world. With a population of under 57,000, it also boasts the world’s lowest population density. About 30 percent of the population resides in Nuuk, the capital city.
Around 80 percent of Greenland is covered in ice. The country's cities are all located along the coastline, as that is the only region free from ice. Despite its political ties to Europe, Greenland is geographically considered part of North America.
9. Inhabitants
Greenland has two official languages: Greenlandic and Danish. Greenlandic is known for its long words and challenging pronunciations, making it one of the hardest languages to learn. In Greenlandic, the island is called Kalaallit Nunaat, meaning ‘land of the people.’
The indigenous people of Greenland are known as Greenlandic Inuits. Today, approximately 80 percent of Greenland’s population has Inuit or a combination of Inuit and Danish ancestry. Many outsiders mistakenly refer to them as Eskimos, a term some residents find offensive.
The southwest coast, where the majority of Greenland’s population resides, experiences average summer temperatures of 10 degrees Celsius (50 °F). In winter, the temperatures typically drop to around -8 degrees Celsius (18 °F). Northern Greenland, in contrast, is much colder.
Greenlandic Inuits depend heavily on fishing, whaling, sealing, and hunting for their survival. In many communities, successful hunters are considered heroes. A significant catch or a rare polar bear hunt is highly praised and celebrated. Despite the harsh cold and isolation, the locals maintain a deep love and respect for the land they inhabit.
8. World’s Largest National Park
In Denmark and Greenland, two ministries are responsible for managing housing, hunting, agriculture, fisheries, and environment, sharing the responsibility for nature conservation. These departments work together to regulate the use of natural resources and ensure the protection of designated areas.
The Northeast Greenland National Park was created in 1974 and expanded in 1988 to its current record-breaking size of 0.97 million square kilometers (0.38 million mi). The park safeguards extensive portions of the Greenland ice sheet and provides protection to various species, including polar bears, arctic foxes, arctic hares, beluga whales, walruses, and snowy owls.
At present, climate change poses the greatest threat to the park. The rapid melting of ice could lead to a dangerous rise in sea levels. However, apart from this concern, the park remains largely unaffected by human activity due to its difficult accessibility.
Though human presence is minimal, researchers often visit the area to conduct scientific studies and expeditions. Some tourists also wish to explore the park. However, only sealers and whalers from Ittoqqortoormiit, one of Greenland’s most isolated towns, have regular access.
7. Named By Vikings
The exact origins of Greenland's name are unclear, but it is generally believed that the island was named by the Vikings. More specifically, it’s thought that Erik the Red, a famous Viking, was the one who gave it its name. Legend has it that Erik discovered Greenland after being exiled from Iceland for committing murder.
While Erik the Red may not have been the first to discover Greenland, he was undoubtedly the first to settle there and lived on the island for several years. After his exile ended, Erik wanted to encourage more people to join him. Convincing others to journey to such a harsh and desolate place would have been difficult, so, according to popular legend, Erik painted Greenland as a paradise and named it accordingly.
Other theories exist regarding the origin of Greenland's name. One theory suggests that the “green” part of the name could be a translation error. Some believe the island was originally called “Gruntland,” which translates to “Ground Land” in English.
6. Largest And Best-Preserved Pre-Columbus Building Remains In The Americas
Greenland is home to the Hvalsey Church, one of the earliest Christian churches in North America. Over a period of a few centuries after the first settlers arrived, between 10 and 14 churches were built in Greenland. The Hvalsey Church, built in the early 14th century, is now the largest and best-preserved pre-Columbian European structure in the Americas.
The church once stood as an impressive structure with two stone halls and 14 stone houses in close proximity. It appears that skilled masons were brought to Hvalsey Fjord specifically to craft this remarkable building. Only the finest materials were selected, and the construction was executed with exceptional precision. The largest granite blocks used in its building weighed over five tons.
Some architectural features, such as the inner windows being wider than the outer ones, resemble those found in early churches in Britain. This has led experts to believe that Scottish masons may have overseen some aspects of the construction, rather than Icelandic masons.
However, a significant error was made in the church's construction. It was built atop a graveyard without removing the graves first, which eventually caused the foundation to sink and the walls to collapse. Today, the Hvalsey ruins serve as a pasture for sheep. The church’s ruins were preserved in 1999 to prevent further deterioration of the foundation.
5. No Roads
Greenland is a challenging destination to reach. Without any international ferry service, flying is the most common way to travel there. Only four cities globally offer direct flights to Greenland: Reykjavik, Keflavik, and Akureyri in Iceland, and Copenhagen, Denmark’s capital. Expedition cruises from the Canadian Arctic or Svalbard, Norway, also provide access to the island.
Once you arrive in Greenland, getting around is no easier. There are no roads connecting the towns, no railways, and no inland waterways. All travel is carried out by helicopter, plane, boat, or dogsled.
Because of the vast distances and physical obstacles like ice and fjords, air travel is the primary mode of transportation. The largest transportation hub is located in Kangerlussuaq, West Greenland, where a wide network of domestic flights connects the island.
4. Ice Golf World Championship
Since 1997, the World Ice Golf Championship has been held annually in Uummannaq, Greenland. This small town, with a population of about 1,300, is located 600 kilometers (373 miles) north of the Arctic Circle. Uummannaq hosts the northernmost golf course in the world, which is specially recreated on shelf ice each year just before the event.
The course is set amidst slow-moving glaciers and massive icebergs. In March, when the championship takes place, temperatures can plummet to as low as -25 Celsius (-13 °F). Despite the harsh cold, golfers from around the globe continue to take part in this unique event. Both professionals and amateurs are welcome, but the competition is limited to just 36 participants.
The desire to experience golf in unique settings has been growing for years, and the founders of the World Ice Golf Championship recognized this trend. As they put it, 'The interest in playing golf in spectacular surroundings is growing, and though the course is a little shorter, the holes a little larger, the ball is orange, and the green is white—it is just like regular golf.'
3. World’s Highest Suicide Rate
In a much darker aspect, Greenland holds the grim distinction of having the highest suicide rate in the world. On average, the suicide rate in Greenland is 83 per 100,000 people annually. To put it into perspective, in 2016, the suicide rate in the United States was 13.7 per 100,000, and in Guyana, the country with the highest global rate, it stood at 30.2 per 100,000.
It is important to note that while Greenland has the highest suicide rate, it is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, not a fully independent country. This distinction is why Guyana is considered the country with the highest suicide rate.
Given Greenland’s population of fewer than 57,000 people, it’s safe to say that almost everyone in the country has been affected by suicide. However, the cold and dark climate does not seem to be the primary cause of the issue.
The rise of fish processing factories in Greenland led many people to leave their villages in search of work. Kangeq was one of these villages, too small to support a factory with only around 150 residents. By 1974, the population had dwindled to just 50 or 60 people.
In a pragmatic move, the Danish government decided to save both time and money by cutting off power and erasing Kangeq from the map. Providing basic services, such as health clinics and schools, to each small village was not feasible. As a result, everyone had to relocate to Nuuk, where families from numerous other tiny villages were also resettled.
This forced relocation led to an immediate cultural clash. The Inuit community found the large concrete apartment buildings to be alien and isolating. The newly paved roads only distanced them further from their traditional hunting life. Some Inuit individuals continued hunting seals in the Nuuk harbor, pulling the catch back to their apartments on sleds. At school, it was evident that Greenlandic-speaking students were treated as inferior compared to their Danish-speaking counterparts.
Psychologists suggest that the contagion effect is a significant factor in Greenland’s suicide rate. When a close relative or friend takes their own life, those around them are at higher risk of suicide themselves. Numerous suicide clusters, especially in remote and small communities, have been documented in Greenland.
Even in Tasiilaq, Greenland’s town with the highest suicide rate—over 400 suicides per 100,000 people—there is no psychologist available. Experts estimate that it would take at least 20 years to address the root causes of the suicide crisis, including issues like unemployment, poverty, child neglect, and alcoholism.
2. Abundance Of Gems And Minerals
Even climate change has its bright side, at least when it comes to Greenland's path to financial independence. As the massive ice sheets that once covered much of the island begin to melt, they are uncovering a land full of valuable minerals, metals, and gems. Angel Mining, Greenland's first mining company, started operations in 2010.
According to official figures from 2017, there are 56 active exploration licenses for minerals like gold, ruby, diamond, nickel, copper, and more across Greenland. Plans to establish the fifth-largest uranium mine in the world have also been progressing steadily since 2013, when the Greenland parliament lifted the ban on uranium mining.
Bluejay Mining is another company planning a significant mining operation in the abandoned settlement of Dundas, Greenland. After three years of fieldwork studies, they entered the final stages of permitting in November 2018. Dundas holds the world’s highest-grade ilmenite deposit, which is used to produce titanium dioxide, a key ingredient in paints and personal care items like toothpaste.
Some businesses have already begun to see returns on their investments. In November 2018, the Danish retailer Hartmann’s Jewellery launched a new jewelry collection featuring Greenlandic gems. The collection included approximately 300 carats of rubies and pink sapphires.
1. Midnight Sun
The midnight sun is a unique summer event that can only be experienced in regions north of the Arctic Circle and south of the Antarctic Circle. During this time, the Sun remains visible at midnight, shining continuously for 24 hours and blurring the line between day and night. With summers being short, Greenlanders make the most of the sunlight by fishing, barbecuing, sailing, and playing.
The Arctic Circle defines the northernmost point where the midnight sun can be experienced. Each year, there’s one day on the Arctic Circle where you can witness half an hour of midnight sun. The opposite phenomenon, the polar night, follows similar rules.
As you move further north, the midnight sun lasts much longer. For example, in Ilulissat, the phenomenon endures for more than two months, while in Qaanaaq, the Sun stays up for a full three and a half months.
Even south of the Arctic Circle, Greenland experiences long, bright nights during the summer. While the midnight sun itself doesn’t reach Nanortalik, the southernmost town in Greenland, the area still enjoys up to 20 hours of daylight.
