Greenland is one of the most unique places onEarth , and it often sparks a large geographical interrogation : Is Greenland part of North America ?
Geologically and geographically speak , yes — but politically , it ’s more tied to Europe . This monumental island hold a rich account , a complex national indistinguishability and more crank than you’re able to envisage .
Who Owns Greenland?
Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark . While it has its own Greenlandic government , including a prime minister and parliament , it remains a constituent country within the Danish region .
Denmark handle strange affairs and defense , while Greenland manages public involvement through the Self Government Act draw in 2009 .
Greenland has had home rule since 1979 , and in 2009 , the Self - Government Actexpanded its autonomy , recognizing Greenlanders as a hoi polloi with the right to self - determination under international law .
Some Greenlandic people continue to advocate for full independence . The island ’s political structure includespartieslike Siumut ( a social democratic company ) and Inuit Ataqatigiit .
Kalaallisut ( West Greenlandic ) is the prescribed language , while Danish and English are alsowidely speak .
The Danish monarch remain the conventional head of state , and the Danish government influences policies that move Greenland , such as those pertain to military bases and extraneous investment .
How Big Is Greenland?
Greenland is the world ’s large island that is not a continent . It spans close to 2.16 million straightforward km ( 836,000 square miles ) — includingoffshore islands — stretch out from southerly Greenland near the Atlantic to northerly Greenland toward the North Pole .
With thick fjords and towering glacier , Greenland ’s landscape painting is form by ice — especially the Greenland Ice Sheet , which covers about 80 pct of the res publica ’s landmass .
Northern Greenland is home to some of the coldest country and sometime ice , while western Greenlandis wheremost of the population inhabit . East Greenland features , well , more ice , while Southern Greenland has more verdure during the summer and historically pull in Norse closure .
This ice sheet holds clues to clime chronicle . Ice marrow from Greenland reveal changes that occurred during the Ice Age and Little Ice Age , and they continue to provide perceptivity into world warming and mood change today .
Could the U.S. Actually Buy Greenland?
The estimate might go like a plot crook , but it ’s not fiction . In 2019 , there was widespread talk about whether the U.S. could buy Greenland .
American interest is n’t new ; the U.S. had proposed buy Greenlandin 1946 , largely for strategic military purposes . The Thule Air Base in northwest Greenland is already a central situation for U.S. defense reaction .
Despite curiosity from the outside macrocosm , Greenland belongs to the Danish government activity as part of the Kingdom of Denmark , and the Greenland government made it clear they were not for sale .
The melodic theme of attempt to bribe Greenland sparked renew discussions about home identity and ego - governing . Greenland ’s saving and liberty are matters of superbia for its people .
Why Is Greenland Considered Part of North America?
Geographically , Greenland sits on the North American tectonic plate . It lie in to the northeast of Canada and is separated from it by theDavis Straitand Baffin Bay .
The island has historical and cultural link to North America , specially through Inuit populations who are unmediated posterity of Arctic peoples incur in Alaska and northern Canada .
Despite its political ties to Denmark , Greenland is technically part of the North American continent . Its earliest Scandinavian settlements came from Iceland and Norway , but its Indigenous people have warm roots in the Arctic regions of North America .
Greenland’s Role in Climate Research
The Greenland ice weather sheet is a all important archive of climate data . Scientists practice ice gist that show how atmospheric precondition have changed over prison term . These ice phonograph recording help cross global heating and promise future climate alteration . melt Methedrine from Greenland contributes significantly to mount ocean levels .
Greenland ’s glaciers and ice fields are supervise for signs of accelerated melt . As temperatures ascend , the stability of the ice mainsheet becomes a mature concern , withpotential impactson global sea grade . Greenland ’s role in translate Earth ’s climate past and future tense can not be overstated .
What Drives Greenland’s Economy?
Greenland ’s economy is lowly but resource - rich . Fishing is the backbone of Greenland ’s saving , accounting for over 90 % of exports . While there has been interestingness in oil color descent and gas exploration , these activities arecontroversialdue to environmental risk of infection and the effects of climate change.
Historically , the economy faced trade limitation like the European Economic Community ( EEC ) ban on sealing wax product . Today , Greenland try economic diversification to win more independence . Discussions around attract settlers and foreign investing often involve Greenlandic administration officials and the Danish government .
Culture and Life on the Island
Most of Greenland ’s 56,000 residents live along the coast , where the clime is less utmost . The capital metropolis , Nuuk , is the ethnical and political center . Life in Greenland is shaped by its surroundings : ice , isolation and a close - pucker population .
From northern outpost to southerly fishing town , Greenlandic people keep traditions that go back centuries . The island ’s Inuit inheritance is a full of life part of its national identity element , and there ’s superbia in maintaining ethnical autonomy despite away influence from Europe and other nation .
We make this article in coincidence with AI technology , then made certain it was fact - crack and edit by a HowStuffWorks editor in chief .
