Greenland is the world’s largest island, covering 2,166,086 square kilometers (836,331 square miles).
Greenland, also known as Kalaallit Nunaat in Greenlandic and Grønland in Danish, is a stunning location between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans. This massive island, the largest in the world, lies just east of Canada’s Arctic Archipelago and has a wide scenery that has captivated explorers and inhabitants for ages.
Greenland’s dynamic capital and largest city, Nuuk, is home to a small yet tenacious population. Despite its close geographic proximity to North America, Greenland has traditionally maintained cultural and political ties with Europe, particularly through Norway and Denmark. This link dates back over a thousand years, to 986, when Norsemen crossed frigid waters to settle in the southern regions of the island after first establishing roots in Iceland. However, the first human footprints on Greenland’s frozen terrain date back to circumpolar peoples who arrived as long as 4,500 years ago from what is now Canada.
When Denmark and Norway dissolved their union in 1814, Greenland stayed with Denmark, eventually becoming a full member of the Danish state in 1953. With this event, Greenlanders became Danish citizens. Over time, the island’s residents began to desire more autonomy. Greenland was granted home sovereignty by Denmark in 1979, following a historic vote. Then, in 2008, a new Self-Government Act expanded Greenland’s powers, allowing its local government, the Naalakkersuisut, to take over more areas of governance while Denmark retained control of defense, citizenship, monetary policy, and foreign affairs.
Greenland’s current population of slightly over 56,000 is predominantly Inuit, who live primarily along the southwestern coast. This concentration is due in part to the fact that the rest of the island is covered by a large and ancient ice sheet that is second only to Antarctica in size. Kaffeklubben Island, a small island off Greenland’s northern shore, is the world’s northernmost point of land.
Greenland is more than just an island; it is a bridge between worlds, a place where history, nature, and the human spirit meet amid snow-capped mountains and frigid fjords, beneath a sky adorned with northern lights.