GREENLAND
The largest island in the world. Located in the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, northeast of North America. Area - 2,175.6 thousand km². Administrative division - 3 inspectorates. Administrative center - Godthåb (Nuuk) (10 thousand).
Population - 56 thousand people (1998), including 49 thousand - Greenlandic Eskimos (90% live on the southwest coast). Official languages - Greenlandic (a dialect of Eskimo) and Danish. Main religion - Christianity. Currency - Danish krone.
Greenland (literally - "green land") was discovered around 875 AD. Danish colonization began in 1721. It remained a colony for over 200 years. According to the constitution of 1953, it received the status of an overseas amt (province) and was declared an "equal part of the Kingdom of Denmark."
1. In 1979, Greenland was proclaimed a "self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark," and the first composition of the Greenlandic legislative body - the Landsting - was elected, a self-government government - the Landstyre - was formed, and state symbols (a flag) were established. 1.1 In 1984, Greenland left the EU, obtaining the status of "associated member of the EU for overseas countries and territories." An important element of the self-government system is the municipal authorities, elected in 18 communes of Greenland for 4 years.
The government of Denmark on the island is represented by a governor (rigsombudsman; S. Haldmeller). In the Folketing (parliament) of Denmark, Greenland has 2 deputies. According to the results of the elections held in September 2003 (by proportional representation), the mandates in the Landsting were distributed as follows: Siumut - 12, Atassut - 7, Inuit Ataqatigiit - 7, Candidates' Union - 4, independent - 1.
A coalition government was formed consisting of the Siumut and Atassut parties (chairman - X. Enoksen; Siumut).
Political parties: Siumut ("Forward") - founded in 1977, a social-democratic party advocating for the expansion of autonomy, especially in the economy and the use of natural resources. Inuit Ataqatigiit ("Community of Inuit"; Inuit is the term used by the Eskimos to refer to themselves) - established in 1977, a left-socialist party advocating for complete separation from Denmark. Atassut ("Unity") - founded in 1978, a moderate bourgeois party that adheres to the principles of maintaining state unity with Denmark.
Trade union association - The Union of Trade Unions of Greenland.
Economic life is concentrated in a narrow coastal strip free of continental ice, occupying about 15% of the island's area (342 thousand km²). About 25% of the working-age population is employed in fishing - the main sector of the economy and in fish processing enterprises.
It has a significant fishing fleet (about 400 vessels with a displacement of about 5 gross registered tons, including 54 vessels with a displacement of over 100 gross registered tons). The annual catch is 290 thousand tons. Seal hunting is conducted (up to 50 thousand skins annually), mainly for seals. Other areas of economic activity include sheep farming (25 thousand heads) and reindeer herding (7 thousand heads).
Reserves of many minerals have been identified, including oil, gas, zinc, lead, copper, nickel, iron ore, uranium, molybdenum, thorium, chromium, gold, silver, and coal. However, only zinc, lead, and silver are extracted. The Danish-Greenlandic Council on Mineral Resources, transferred from Copenhagen to Nuuk in 1998, oversees the extraction and exploration of minerals.
The main export item is fish products - 85%, primarily processed shrimp, in which Greenland holds a leading position in the world. The export of zinc and lead ores accounts for 12% of the total volume.
In addition to fishing and fish processing, seal hunting, sheep farming, and reindeer herding are developed. About 80% of Greenlandic goods are sent to Denmark, from where a large part is re-exported to other countries (Japan, France, the UK, Sweden, etc.). In imports, 65% of which comes from Denmark, food products and consumer goods dominate (over 24%), machinery and equipment (19%), vehicles (over 14%).
Several newspapers are published on the island in Danish and Greenlandic, including "Atuagaagdlit/Grønlandsposten" (5,500 copies), "Sermitsiak" (4,000), and others. There is a government service for Greenlandic radio.