Greenland, the world's largest island, is about 81% ice-capped.

Vikings reached the island in the 10th century from Iceland. The Norse settlements thrived for the next few centuries, and then disappeared sometime in the 15th century after nearly 500 years of habitation.

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.

Source: CIA World Fact Book

Population: 56,344 (July 2007 est.)

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Age structure: 0-14 years: 24% (male 6,926/female 6,597) 15-64 years: 69.1% (male 20,901/female 18,012) 65 years and over: 6.9% (male 1,873/female 2,035) (2007 est.)

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Median age: total: 34.1 years male: 35.4 years female: 32.3 years (2007 est.)

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Population growth rate: -0.03% (2007 est.)

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Birth rate: 16.01 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Death rate: 7.93 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Net migration rate: -8.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Sex ratio: at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.16 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female total population: 1.115 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

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Infant mortality rate: total: 14.98 deaths/1,000 live births male: 16.32 deaths/1,000 live births female: 13.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)

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Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.23 years male: 66.65 years female: 73.9 years (2007 est.)

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Total fertility rate: 2.4 children born/woman (2007 est.)

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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA

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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 100 (1999)

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HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

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Nationality: noun: Greenlander(s) adjective: Greenlandic

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Ethnic groups: Greenlander 88% (Inuit and Greenland-born whites), Danish and others 12% (2000)

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Religions: Evangelical Lutheran

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Languages: Greenlandic (East Inuit), Danish, English

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Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (2001 est.)

The economy remains critically dependent on exports of fish and substantial support from the Danish Government, which supplies about half of government revenues. The public sector, including publicly-owned enterprises and the municipalities, plays the dominant role in the economy. Several interesting hydrocarbon and mineral exploration activities are ongoing. Press reports in early 2007 indicated that two international aluminum companies were considering building smelters in Greenland to take advantage of local hydropower potential. Tourism is the only sector offering any near-term potential, and even this is limited due to a short season and high costs. Air Greenland announced plans to begin summer-season direct flights to the U.S. east coast in May 2007 potentially opening a major new tourism market.

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GDP (purchasing power parity): $1.1 billion (2001 est.)

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GDP (official exchange rate): $1.7 billion (2005)

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GDP - real growth rate: 2% (2005 est.)

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GDP - per capita (PPP): $20,000 (2001 est.)

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GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

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Labor force: 32,120 (2004)

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Unemployment rate: 9.3% (2005 est.)

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Population below poverty line: NA%

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Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

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Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1% (2005 est.)

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Budget: revenues: $1.36 billion expenditures: $1.27 billion; including capital expenditures of $83 million (2005)

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Agriculture - products: forage crops, garden and greenhouse vegetables; sheep, reindeer; fish

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Industries: fish processing (mainly shrimp and Greenland halibut); gold, niobium, tantalite, uranium, iron and diamond mining; handicrafts, hides and skins, small shipyards

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Industrial production growth rate: NA%

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Electricity - production: 295 million kWh (2004)

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Electricity - consumption: 274.4 million kWh (2004)

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Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2004)

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Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2004)

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Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

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Oil - consumption: 3,860 bbl/day (2004 est.)

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Oil - exports: NA bbl/day

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Oil - imports: NA bbl/day

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Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl

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Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

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Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

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Exports: $404 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)

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Exports - commodities: fish and fish products 94% (prawns 63%)

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Exports - partners: Denmark 67.8%, Japan 11.9%, China 5.5% (2006)

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Imports: $599 million c.i.f. (2005 est.)

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Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, petroleum products

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Imports - partners: Denmark 70%, Sweden 16.3%, Norway 3.7% (2006)

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Debt - external: $25 million (1999)

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Economic aid - recipient: $512 million; note - subsidy from Denmark (2005)

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Currency (code): Danish krone (DKK)

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Exchange rates: Danish kroner per US dollar - 5.9468 (2006), 5.9969 (2005), 5.9911 (2004), 6.5877 (2003), 7.8947 (2002)

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Fiscal year: calendar year