226 lines
18 KiB
Plaintext
226 lines
18 KiB
Plaintext
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GREENLAND
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(part of the Danish realm)
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GEOGRAPHY
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Total area: 2,175,600 km2; land area: 341,700 km2 (ice free)
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Comparative area: slightly more than three times the size of Texas
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Land boundaries: none
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Coastline: 44,087 km
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Maritime claims:
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Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;
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Territorial sea: 3 nm
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Disputes: Denmark has challenged Norway's maritime claims between
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Greenland and Jan Mayen
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Climate: arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters
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Terrain: flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow,
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mountainous, barren, rocky coast
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Natural resources: zinc, lead, iron ore, coal, molybdenum,
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cryolite, uranium, fish
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Land use: arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures
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1%; forest and woodland NEGL%; other 99%
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Environment: sparse population confined to small settlements along
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coast; continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island
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Note: dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and
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Europe
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PEOPLE
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Population: 56,752 (July 1991), growth rate 1.2% (1991)
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Birth rate: 20 births/1,000 population (1991)
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Death rate: 8 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
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Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
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Infant mortality rate: 28 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
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Life expectancy at birth: 63 years male, 69 years female (1991)
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Total fertility rate: 2.2 children born/woman (1991)
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Nationality: noun--Greenlander(s); adjective--Greenlandic
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Ethnic divisions: Greenlander (Eskimos and Greenland-born
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Caucasians) 86%, Danish 14%
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Religion: Evangelical Lutheran
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Language: Eskimo dialects, Danish
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Literacy: NA% (male NA%, female NA%)
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Labor force: 22,800; largely engaged in fishing, hunting, sheep
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breeding
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Organized labor: NA
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GOVERNMENT
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Long-form name: none
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Type: part of the Danish realm; self-governing overseas
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administrative division
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Capital: Nuuk (Godthab)
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Administrative divisions: 3 municipalities (kommuner,
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singular--kommun); Nordgronland, Ostgronland, Vestgronland
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Independence: part of the Danish realm; self-governing overseas
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administrative division
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Constitution: Danish
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Legal system: Danish
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National holiday: Birthday of the Queen, 16 April (1940)
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Executive branch: Danish monarch, high commissioner, home rule
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chairman, prime minister, Cabinet (Landsstyre)
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Legislative branch: unicameral Landsting
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Judicial branch: High Court (Landsret)
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Leaders:
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Chief of State--Queen MARGRETHE II (since 14 January 1972),
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represented by High Commissioner Bent KLINTE (since NA);
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Head of Government--Home Rule Chairman Lars Emil JOHANSEN
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(since 15 March 1991)
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Political parties and leaders: two-party ruling
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coalition--Siumut (a moderate socialist party that advocates more
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distinct Greenlandic identity and greater autonomy from Denmark), Lars
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Emil JOHANSEN, chairman; and Inuit Ataqatigiit (IA; a Marxist-Leninist
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party that favors complete independence from Denmark rather than home
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rule);
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Atassut Party (a more conservative party that favors continuing close
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relations with Denmark), leader NA;
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Polar Party (conservative-Greenland nationalist), leader NA;
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Center Party (a new nonsocialist protest party), leader NA
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Suffrage: universal at age 18
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Elections:
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Landsting--last held on 5 March 1991 (next to be held 5 March
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1995);
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results--percent of vote by party NA;
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seats--(27 total) Siumut 11, Atassut Party 8, Inuit Ataqatigiit
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5, Center Party 2, Polar Party 1;
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Danish Folketing--last held on 12 December 1990 (next to be held by
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December 1994); Greenland elects two representatives to the Folketing;
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results--percent of vote by party NA;
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seats--(2 total) Siumut 1, Atassut 1
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Member of: NC
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Diplomatic representation: none (self-governing overseas
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administrative division of Denmark)
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Flag: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a
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large disk slightly to the hoist side of center--the top half of the
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disk is red, the bottom half is white
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ECONOMY
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Overview: Over the past 25 years, the economy has changed from
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one based on subsistence whaling, hunting, and fishing to one dependent
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on foreign trade. Fishing is still the most important industry,
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accounting for over 75% of exports and about 25% of the
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population's income. Maintenance of a social welfare system similar to
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Denmark's has given the public sector a dominant role in the economy.
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In 1990, the economy became critically dependent on shrimp exports and an
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annual subsidy (now about $355 million) from the Danish Government
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because cod exports had fallen, the zinc and lead mine closed, and
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a large promising platinum and gold mine was not yet operational.
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Greenland has signed a contract for its largest construction project,
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a power plant to supply the capital. To avoid a decline in the economy,
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Denmark has agreed to pay 75% of the costs of running Sondrestrom
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Airbase and Kulusuk Airfield as civilian bases after the US withdraws
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in 1992.
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GNP: $500 million, per capita $9,000; real growth rate 5% (1988)
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Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.4% (1989)
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Unemployment rate: 9% (1990 est.)
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Budget: revenues $381 million; expenditures $381 million, including
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capital expenditures of $36 million (1989)
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Exports: $417 million (f.o.b., 1989 est.);
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commodities--fish and fish products 78%, metallic ores and
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concentrates 19%;
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partners--Denmark 74%, FRG 11%, Sweden 6%
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Imports: $394 million (c.i.f., 1989 est.);
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commodities--manufactured goods 36%, machinery and transport
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equipment 26%, food products 13%, petroleum and petroleum products
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10%;
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partners--Denmark 69%, Norway, FRG, Japan, US, Sweden
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External debt: $480 million (1990 est.)
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Industrial production: growth rate NA%
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Electricity: 84,000 kW capacity; 176 million kWh produced,
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3,180 kWh per capita (1989)
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Industries: fish processing (mainly shrimp), potential for
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platinum and gold mining, handicrafts, shipyards
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Agriculture: sector dominated by fishing and sheep raising; crops
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limited to forage and small garden vegetables; 1988 fish catch of 133,500
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metric tons
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Economic aid: none
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Currency: Danish krone (plural--kroner); 1 Danish krone (DKr)
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= 100 ore
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Exchange rates: Danish kroner (DKr) per US$1--5.817 (January 1991),
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6.189 (1990), 7.310 (1989), 6.732 (1988), 6.840 (1987), 8.091 (1986),
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10.596 (1985)
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Fiscal year: calendar year
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COMMUNICATIONS
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Highways: 80 km
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Ports: Kangerluarsoruseq (Faeringehavn), Paamiut (Frederikshaab),
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Nuuk (Godthaab), Sisimiut (Holsteinsborg), Julianehaab, Maarmorilik,
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North Star Bay
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Merchant marine: 1 refrigerated cargo (1,000 GRT or over) totaling
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1,021 GRT/1,778 DWT; note--operates under the registry of Denmark
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Civil air: 2 major transport aircraft
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Airports: 11 total, 8 usable; 5 with permanent-surface runways;
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none with runways over 3,659 m; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 2 with
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runways 1,220-2,439 m
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Telecommunications: adequate domestic and international service
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provided by cables and radio relay; 17,900 telephones; stations--5 AM,
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7 (35 relays) FM, 4 (9 relays) TV; 2 coaxial submarine cables; 1 Atlantic
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Ocean INTELSAT earth station
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DEFENSE FORCES
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Note: defense is responsibility of Denmark
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