TERRITORY PORTRAIT · THE WORLD ATLAS

Greenland

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Photo: Tina Rolf on Unsplash · Unsplash License

AT A GLANCE

Greenland in facts

  • CapitalNuuk
  • Population56,8312025
  • Area2.17 m km²slightly more than three times the size of Texas
  • CurrencyDanish krone
Map: Natural Earth (public domain) · Open in the world map
All geographic & statistical details (36)
Density
0 people per km²
Local name
Kalaallit Nunaat
Official language
Greenlandic
Government
parliamentary democracy (Parliament of Greenland or Inatsisartut)
People are called
Greenlandic
World region
Americas · Northern America
Calling code
+299
Time zones
UTC−04:00, UTC−03:00, UTC−02:00
+ 2 moreShow lessUTC+00:00, UTC−01:00
Drives on the
right
Land borders
None
Coastline
44,087 km
Economy (GDP)
US$3.3 billion (2023)
Topographic elevation profile
Gunnbjørn Fjeld 3,694 m
0 mAtlantic Ocean1,792 mMean▲ 3,694 mSummit
GDP per person
US$58,499 (2023)
Climate
Arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters
Life expectancy
70.3 years (2024)
Terrain
Flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow, mountainous, barren, rocky coast
Median age
35.6 years (2025 est.)
Land use
Agri 0.6%Forest 0%Other 99.4%
Major urban areas
Nuuk (capital) (000)
Natural resources
coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, molybdenum
+ 7 moreShow lessdiamonds, gold, platinum, niobium, tantalite, uranium, fish
Administrative subdivisions
5 first-order regions
Urban population
Urban 87.9%Rural 12.1%(2023)
UNESCO World Heritage
3 sites
Ethnic groups
Greenlandic 88.1%, Danish 7.1%, Filipino 1.6%, other Nordic peoples 0.9%, and other 2.3% (2024 est.)
Religions
Evangelical Lutheran, traditional Inuit spiritual beliefs
Railways & airports
25 airports
Plug types
Schuko, Europlug, Type K, Type E
Mains voltage
230 V
Emergency numbers
112
Internet domain
.gl
ISO & UN codes
GL · GRL · M49 304
Official website
naalakkersuisut.gl (opens in a new tab)
Capital location
64.2°N, 51.7°W
Name origin
Named by Norse navigator Erik Thorvaldsson (Erik the Red) in A.D. 985 to attract settlers to the island; the original Greenlandic name, Kalaallit Nunaat, means "land of the people"
Names in other languages
Groenlandia, グリーンランド, 그린란드, Гренландия, Groenland, Grönland
+ 18 moreShow lessGrenlandia, ഗ്രീൻലാൻഡ്, ग्रीनलँड, ਗਰੀਨਲੈਂਡ, Gronelândia, கிறீன்லாந்து, గ్రీన్లాండ్, กรีนแลนด์, Гренландія, گرین لینڈ, Greenland, گرینلند, غرينلاند, গ্রিনল্যান্ড, ગ્રીનલેન્ડ, ग्रीनलैण्ड, ಗ್ರೀನ್ಲ್ಯಾಂಡ್, 格陵兰

Maritime & nearby neighbours (3 places)

Neighbours from Wikidata (land borders and some sea borders; only places with a page here).

Facts: Wikidata Q223, World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0: population, economy, life expectancy) and the CIA World Factbook (public domain: geography, demographics, borders, coastline and symbols), retrieved 1 November 2026. Figures can change; check the source for the latest.

FLAG & SYMBOLS

The flag and symbols of Greenland

The flag

Two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red, with a large disk set slightly to the left; the top half of the disk is red, and the bottom is white.

What it means

The design represents the sun reflecting off a field of ice; the colors are the same as the Danish flag and symbolize Greenland's links to the Kingdom of Denmark.

National coloursRedWhite
Coat of arms
Coat of arms or emblem of Greenland

Image: Octane / Wikimedia Commons · Public domain

National animals and emblems
Polar Bear
National anthem

"Nuna asiilasooq" (The Land of Great Length)
unknown

National day

National Day, June 21

Independence

none (extensive self-rule as part of the Kingdom of Denmark)

Flag description and meaning, colours, symbols, anthem details, national day and independence: CIA World Factbook (public domain). Coat of arms, motto and recording: Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons (credited above). Flag artwork: flag-icons (MIT), retrieved 1 November 2026.

UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE

3 World Heritage Sites in Greenland

2 Cultural1 NaturalFirst listed 2004 · latest 2018
  1. Ilulissat Icefjord (Wikipedia, opens in a new tab)2004 · Natural
  2. Kujataa (Wikipedia, opens in a new tab)2017 · Cultural
  3. Aasivissuit–Nipisat (Wikipedia, opens in a new tab)2018 · Cultural

Sites, years and types: the UNESCO World Heritage List via Wikidata, retrieved 1 November 2026; ordered by year listed. Names link to English Wikipedia, or to the UNESCO page when there is no article.

There is more to explore.Discover the regions of GreenlandExplore regions
ON THE ATLAS · CHRONICLE IN PREPARATION

Discover Greenland

This is a sourced directory entry. A researched regional chronicle and verified location photography are in preparation.

Self-governing territory

Kingdom of Denmark association: Denmark. Status & relationship source ↗

A CLOSER LOOK

Explore the regions

5 entries

Explore the first-order regions in this GeoNames snapshot. Local names and levels vary.

Names and immediate parent assignments: GeoNames, CC BY 4.0, 28 October 2026. Unspecified code 00 excluded. This is not an exhaustive list of districts, counties or municipalities. Photographs are credited individually beneath each image; one pictured place does not represent every landscape in its region.

FROM THE JOURNAL

Stories from Greenland

Our editorial journey here is still ahead. No researched stories have been published for this place yet.

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Directory: UN M49 countries or areas, with 193 UN members, 2 observers and 53 other areas. Subdivisions: GeoNames, CC BY 4.0; filtered to this catalogue. Flags/symbols: flag-icons (MIT). Snapshot: 28 October 2026. Geographic groups are statistical. Associated-country links describe the cited relationship and do not settle sovereignty claims.

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