Greenland. Why Greenland belongs to Denmark

It is closer to North America, but belongs to Europe, as it is located between Europe and America. It is separated from the North Pole by only 740 km.

Greenland is famous for its magical landscapes, so it is visited by many tourists who are not afraid of the cold.

Most of the attractions in Greenland are associated with ice. Here, for example, you can find igloo hotels, huge glaciers and, of course, the northern lights.

Also here you can see Whale bathing, visit National Museum capital Nuuk and look at its amazing collections, as well as on this island there is a unique opportunity to try the local cuisine like nothing else.

Greenland on the map

Size of Greenland on the map

Real size of Greenland

Who owns Greenland

Denmark. However, this island is a self-governing territory. Technically, the queen of Denmark rules the island, but the Greenlanders choose their own prime minister.

Greenland belongs to the northeast of America. His northern part washes the Lincoln Sea (the waters of the North Arctic Ocean), in the northeast the island meets the waters of the Greenland Sea, and in the southeast it is washed by the Denmark Strait, right behind which is Iceland. In the south of the island is the Atlantic Ocean.

Greenland

Travelers from Iceland and Denmark settled in Greenland as early as 986, and one of them was the famous Viking, navigator and discoverer Eric the Red, who was also called Eirik Rauda and Eirik the Red (because of the color of his beard and hair). He founded the first settlement in Greenland.

Population

Today, the island has a population of 57,728, making it the area with the lowest population density on Earth.

12% of the population are Europeans, mostly Danes, and the remaining 88% are Greenlandic Eskimos who call themselves Inuit.

Climate of Greenland

The climate of the island is divided depending on the region into:

Coasts of the sea

Subarctic

Arctic

Continental Arctic.

Greenland is often crossed by cyclones, which bring with them strong winds, precipitation and sudden temperature changes.

January

The temperature varies from -7 °C to south coast to -36 ° C in the north.

July

The temperature varies from +10 °C in the south to +3 °C in the northwest.

In the center of the island, the average temperature in February is -47 °C, and in July -12 °C.

Most of the snow falls in the autumn-winter period, but it is worth noting that snow can fall at any time of the year.

If you want to visit Greenland, it is better to do it during the polar "white nights", which falls between May and July. For those who love winter, April is the right time.

Time Zones

The territory of the island is divided into 4 time zones. In the capital Nuuk and most big cities South Greenland time behind Moscow by 6 hours during summer time and by 7 hours during winter time.

The time difference with Scoresby Land in eastern Greenland is 4 hours in summer time and 5 hours in winter

Time in Danmarkshavn (northeast of Greenland) is 4 hours behind Moscow time all year round.

The difference with Thule and the Pituffik area is 8 hours all year round.

The area between Cape Brewster and Trail Island is 5 hours behind Moscow.

Time in the area between Daneborg and Shannon Island is in the Greenwich time zone.

The most West Side islands is 7 hours behind Moscow time.

Briefly about Greenland

Total area: 2,166,086 sq. km. 81% of the territory is covered with eternal ice.

Ice free area: 410,449 sq. km.

Official language: Greenlandic, but the Home Rule Act obliges everyone to learn Danish.

Head of State: queen of Denmark.

Head of Administration: executive minister.

Currency unit: Danish krone.

Interesting Facts

Why is Greenland called that?

1. Greenland translates as "Green Land". The first Eskimos arrived on the island in 985 from Norway and Iceland and decided to name the island that way in order to attract more people here.

Why is it wrong to call local residents Eskimos?

2. Despite the fact that many people call the inhabitants of Greenland Eskimos, this is not entirely correct. The word "Eskimo" means "raw eater", and it appeared in the Indian tribes. North America, after which they began to call the Inuit tribes living in the continental United States and Canada. However, the inhabitants of Greenland are not among them.

Capital of Greenland

3. The largest city in Greenland is its capital, Nuuk. From a bird's eye view, it looks like it was created from Lego blocks. It combines: the old European school of construction, the Greenlandic school, as well as the old quarters in the historic district.

4. Every year, due to global warming, the island loses 217 cubic kilometers of ice.

5. Greenland is the world's largest glacier after the glacier that covers Antarctica.

6. WITH geographic point Greenland is part of North America, but politically it is a province of Denmark (although it is 50 times larger than Denmark).

7. Most residents live in the south west coast, or rather on a narrow coastal strip, which is located between the ice sheet and the sea. It is here that the climate is milder.

8. The colors of the island's flag symbolize its connection with Denmark. One version says that the circle on the flag is a symbol of the sun that rises over Greenland. According to another version, the red part of the circle is the fjords of the island, and the white part is icebergs, and the red and white background symbolizes the ocean and the sheet glacier.

9. The inhabitants of the island are mainly engaged in hunting and fishing.

10. The speed of some winds on the island reaches 70 meters per second.

11. The ice shell that covers the island has an average thickness of 1,500 meters.

12. If all the ice in Greenland melts, the sea level will rise by 7 meters.

13. The symbol of the island is the polar bear, so its image can be seen on the coat of arms of Greenland.

14. Almost all residents of the island receive money on the card and in all settlements you can find a large number of ATMs that accept many different cards.

15. Prices on the island are quite high, since everything except fish and meat has to be imported. At the same time, the stores have a very wide range of goods.

16. Greenland has very high-quality high-speed Internet. Moreover, the island is one of the leaders in network services per capita.

17. On the west coast of the island is the city of Upernavik, which is one of the northernmost cities in the world. It is also the northernmost ferry crossing on our planet. They even say here that a person does not know real cold until he visits Upernavik.

The article tells about the big Island in the world occupied by Greenland. What is its history, what country does it belong to and what is there in general? At the same time, try to guess how much one kilogram of cheese costs on the island? You will find the answer at the end of the page!

According to the latest census, 60 thousand people live here. All of them are concentrated in 18 cities and 59 villages. The rest of the land is occupied by glaciers. At last count, 84% of Greenland is covered with ice. For this reason, the island regularly delivers new icebergs to the ocean. Scientists talk about a figure of 15 thousand blocks per year. By the way, it was one of them that sank the Titanic more than a hundred years ago.

Interesting:

• The area of ​​Greenland is 2,166,086 km². This is 50 times the size of Denmark, to which it belongs;
• Here is the world's largest national park, the most gigantic glacier and only one very modest fountain;
• From the middle to the middle, the northern lights regularly blaze in the sky. From here it is a polar day and the sun practically does not set.
• Population: 57 thousand people. 90% of them are Inuit (Eskimos). The rest are Europeans. Mostly Danes.

Where is located on the world map

Who owns Greenland

Greenland is the largest island on the planet. It is incorrect to call it a country, since it is part of the Danish kingdom, has its representatives in parliament and uses Danish krones in circulation. On the other hand, the inhabitants of the island enjoy a great deal of autonomy. Here are three examples of the willfulness of the northerners:

• Greenland left the European Union, although it belongs to Denmark.
• To get to ice island Russians and residents of many other countries will need a visa. Schengen does not apply here.
• What language do the locals speak? The main language is Greenlandic, not Danish. Although the latter is known and understood on the island, like English.

Why such a name and briefly about the history

The name for the "Green Land" was invented by the Scandinavian navigator Eric the Red at the very end of the 10th century. It was he who founded the first settlement on the island, after he was expelled from Iceland for 3 years for a double murder. Then the southern coastal zone was indeed greener than it is now. But there is a version that Eric the Red deliberately gave the new land a harmonious name in order to lure new colonizers.

By the beginning of the 15th century, the climate had deteriorated. Glaciers crawled to the outskirts of the island, a plague raged on the island and the colonists were forced to leave their settlements. For a while, all links between Greenland and Europe were interrupted. The island has become a haven for rare pirate ships and wild Inuit tribes. Regular expeditions resumed only in 1605. Since then, the colonization of the island has not stopped.

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Important Features

The thickness of the ice here is from one and a half to three kilometers. They say that if all Greenland ice melted, the water level in the world's oceans would rise by seven meters.

Before the trip, it is important to learn that there are no large settlements. local cities- small Inuit villages in which several hundred people live on the strength. Even in Gothob (Nuuk), the capital of Greenland, there are hardly 15 thousand inhabitants. In this regard, one should not count on a stormy city ​​life: nightclubs, a wide choice of bars, museums and shopping centers.

This is, first of all, a country of wild, untouched nature, where any influence or even the presence of a person goes unnoticed. You will feel like an invisible grain of sand against the backdrop of an immense white desert, especially on the ice sheet of the central part of the island, where a harsh arctic climate prevails, and the temperature often reaches -60.

Animal world

Greenland is an absolutely unimaginable land of permafrost. Only 30 species of mammals live here, 22 of which are marine. Greenland is home to 170 bird species, and over 100 fish species swim in the surrounding waters.

Polar bears roam freely on the ice. Sometimes they wander into the villages. coastal zones occupied by walruses, seals, seals and sea otters, which carelessly bask on the pebbles. On the East Coast you can meet polar wolves, hares, reindeer and herds of musk oxen. Several species of dolphins and whales live in coastal waters: Greenland, blue, narwhal, white whale and others.

Landmarks of Greenland

ice canyon

Once on the central plateau, visit the Ice Canyon. This amazing place formed as a result of the inevitable melting of ice. The canyon is a zigzag, wide fracture in the body of the glacier up to 45 meters deep. Melt water of an unusual blue color flows along its bottom, which, continuing to bore the ice, increases the area of ​​​​the fault every year. The heavenly color of the water contrasts with the snow-white walls of the glacier sparkling in the sun.

Lake Motzenfeld and the Koororssuaq Valley

The reservoir is located in a harsh and inaccessible area. The lake is constantly fed by melting glaciers, it has an unusual angular shape and is surrounded by huge, sharp peaks rising into the sky to a height of 1600 meters. The only road to Motzenfeld runs through the no less harsh, but even more picturesque Koororssuaq valley. The Koorkup Kuua River flows along its bottom: it flows out of the lake, and on the sides it is supported by two giants - the ice giants Illerfissalik and Suusukutaussa.

Mountain Uummannak

Mountain from afar Uummannak looks like a heart. It rises above the snow cover to a height of 1170 meters and appears before the eyes of a tourist in a successively alternating color of black, white and red. The mountain changes shades depending on the lighting.

In addition, you can go on a short kayak trip off the Southwest Coast to appreciate the true size of passing icebergs, visit the world's largest fjord, Scoresbysand, which cuts 250 kilometers inland, and just take a break from people in the vast snowy expanses.

Entertainment

Most of local entertainment is tied to nature. Here are the most popular ways to spend time in a harsh land:

• Campaigns of all stripes;
• Rides in dog areas;
• Swims in kayaks, boats and boats;
• Traditional winter activities: snowboarding, skiing, snowmobiling, etc.
• Rock climbing;
• Watching wild animals: whales, deer, bears, seals, etc.;
• Photo tours of local landscapes;
• View from the air of the glacier and other beauties;
• Visiting traditional holidays: the main ones are in February, and.

Please note that hunting in Greenland is prohibited for tourists. For fishing, you will need to buy a license in tourist office. Violating the rules is fraught with huge fines and expulsion from the territory of the island.

What visa is needed

If you are not a citizen of Denmark or other Scandinavian countries you will need a visa to visit Greenland. At the same time, Schengen, through which you can get to Denmark itself, will not work here. A special document is required. You can get it at the Danish embassy or consulate, which can be found in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Rostov-on-Don and Novosibirsk. Do not forget to indicate that you need a visa specifically for Greenland. If you are going to spend more than three months there, you will need a residence permit.

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How to get to the harsh north

The easiest way to visit the largest island in the world is by taking a plane ticket from Copenhagen. There are other options, but for residents of Russia this is the most optimal. Planes from the Danish capital almost always land at one of two airports: Kangerlussuaq or Narsarsuaq. Your destination can be reached with the help of local airlines Air Greenland or Arctic Umiaq Line. Because the railways not on the largest island in the world. There is also a problem with ordinary highways. They say the climate is to blame.

Greenland (Grenl. Kalaallit Nunaat, Dan. Gronland, literally - "green country") - an island in the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, northeast of North America. Autonomous territory of Denmark. It has maritime boundaries with Canada in the northwest. Greenland is the largest island in the world. Area - 2,166,086 km2 Population (in 2009) - 57.6 thousand people. The island belonged to Norway until 1536, after which it passed to Denmark. In 1979, the Danish Parliament granted Greenland broad autonomy. In 2008, the people of Greenland called for greater autonomy within the Kingdom of Denmark. The new Greenland Home Rule Act came into force on 21 June 2009. The capital is Nuuk. The northernmost point, Cape Morris Jesup, is the landmass closest to the North Pole.

The island was first discovered by the Icelandic sailor Gunbjorn around 875 (did not go ashore). In 982, an Icelander of Norwegian origin, Eirik Rauda (Redhead), made the first survey of the island and named it Greenland. In 983, Norman (Icelandic) colonies were founded in the south of Greenland, which existed until the 15th century. In the 11th century, the population of Greenland, including the indigenous Eskimos, converted to Christianity (the first bishopric was founded in Greenland in 1126). From 1262 until the beginning of the 18th century, Greenland formally belonged to Norway (however, from the 14th century, contacts with Greenland ceased, and in the 15th century, the Norman population of the island partially died out, partially mixed with the Eskimos). In the 15th century, glaciers began to advance in Greenland, the summer thawing of the soil became more and more short-lived, and by the end of the century, permafrost was firmly established here. The rediscovery of Greenland by Europeans is believed to have been made around 1500 by the Portuguese brothers Cortireal.

In 1721, the colonization of the island by Denmark began. In 1744, Denmark established a state monopoly (existed until 1950) on trade with Greenland. In 1814, with the termination of the Danish-Norwegian union of 1380, Greenland remained with Denmark and until 1953 was its colony. In 1953, Greenland was declared part of the territory of the Kingdom of Denmark.

In April 1940, after the occupation of Denmark by Germany, the US government announced the extension of the Monroe Doctrine to Greenland. On April 9, 1941, the Danish envoy in Washington signed with the American government the so-called. agreement on the defense of Greenland (ratified by the Danish Rigsdag on May 16, 1945). The United States began to establish military bases on Greenland. After Denmark joined NATO (April 4, 1949), a new agreement was signed between the Danish and American governments on April 27, 1951, according to which Denmark and the United States carry out joint defense of the island. In 1971, the United States had 2 military bases and other military installations in Greenland.

The exploration of Greenland began in the 17th century and was carried out initially by the British, and after the colonization of the island, by the Danes and Norwegians. A long journey deep into Greenland was the first to be made by the Swede A. Nordenskiöld (1683). In 1888 southern part the islands were crossed by the Norwegians F. Nansen and O. Sverdrup. In subsequent years, the expeditions of R. Piri (1892-95), K. Rasmussen (1912-13) crossed the glacier; A. Kerven (1912), I. Koch (1913) and A. Wegener (1906-08, 1912-13, 1929-30) and others. Of the post-war studies, the most valuable material was provided by the French expedition of P. Victor (1949-1951) and the English Simpson Expedition (1952-54). IN last years almost continuous research, including stationary observations on the ice sheet, is carried out by scientists from the USA and Great Britain; in 1968-1969, an expedition of the USSR Academy of Sciences worked.

August 6, 2004 - The US and Denmark sign an agreement modernizing the 1951 Treaty for the Defense of Greenland. First of all, we are talking about the modernization of the American Thule base as part of the missile defense system being created by the United States.

In 1979, the Danish Parliament granted Greenland broad autonomy. In 1985, Greenland withdrew from the European Community (the predecessor organization of the European Union), while Denmark remained in it. On November 25, 2008, a referendum was held in Greenland on the issue of expanding the autonomy of the province of Greenland from Denmark. 75.54% of those who took part in the voting were in favor of expanding self-government, 23.57% were against, with the turnout of 71.96% of the 39 thousand inhabitants of the island with the right to vote.

On May 20, 2009, the Danish Parliament passed a law on the extended autonomy of Greenland. The expansion of autonomy will allow the Greenland authorities to independently manage natural resources and directly subordinate the judiciary and law enforcement agencies to them, as well as expand their influence on Danish foreign policy regarding Greenland. Before the expansion of autonomy, local authorities directly managed only the systems of health care, school education and social services for the population. Both inside and outside Greenland, there are people who see the expansion of autonomy as a step towards Greenland's independence from Denmark.

On June 21, 2009, the extended autonomy of Greenland was proclaimed. official language the island becomes Greenlandic. In addition, the local administration takes responsibility for the island's police and judicial system. Along with the autonomy of the 56,000-strong Greenland, it also gained control over all the natural resources that the subsoil of the Arctic island is rich in, including gold, diamonds, oil and gas. Denmark retains control over its defense, foreign and monetary policy. monetary unit the Danish krone remains. Queen Margrethe II will remain the formal head of state.

The content of the article

GREENLAND, the largest island on Earth, located northeast of mainland North America, between 59°45' and 83°39' N. latitude. In the past, a colony, and since 1979 a self-governing territory within Denmark. The length of the island from north to south is 2690 km, the maximum width is 1300 km. The total area is 2175.6 thousand square meters. km. The Canadian island of Ellesmere is separated from the northwestern coast of Greenland by a strait 19 km wide. The Danish Strait, 320 km wide, separates Iceland and southeast coast Greenland. The distance from Greenland to Svalbard is 440 km, the Greenland Sea stretches between them. In the west, Greenland is separated from Baffin Island by the Baffin Sea and Davis Strait. Main city- Nuuk (Gothob).

Geographic features.

Approximately 83% of the area of ​​Greenland is occupied by an ice sheet. Suitable for settlements only coastal areas. The total area of ​​ice-free land is estimated at 410.4 thousand square meters. km. A broken band of such lands borders the island; its average width is 80 km, and its greatest width is in the southwest and north of Greenland (up to 200–259 km). In many places it is cut by fjords. The highest surface of the ice sheet is 3230 m above sea level. (at 73° N), and its maximum thickness is 3400 m (at 72° N). The ice cover gradually decreases towards the coasts, where icebergs calve at the ends of outlet glaciers. Collision with one of these giant icebergs in 1912 led to tragic death the steamship Titanic. The coast of Melville Bay in western Greenland is an almost continuous high ice cliff.

The mountains stretch along the eastern and western coasts of the island and act as a barrier to the ice sheet. Most high mountains are at east coast. Trout Mountain north of Angmagssalik in southeastern Greenland reaches 3360 m. highest point Mount Gunnbjorn (3700 m) is located somewhat to the north. The eastern coast, like the western one, is strongly dissected; lowlands stretch along the coast and are confined mainly to the tops of the fjords. The ice-free lands in northern Greenland are low and rugged. In some places, ice shelves approach the coast of the Arctic Ocean, having a connection with the ice sheet.

Climate coastal areas of Greenland is changeable. It is the mildest on the southwest coast. Average temperatures in July in Qaqortoq are 9.6°C, in Nuuk 8.3°C, and in January, respectively -7.8°C and -10.7°C. In summer, sometimes the temperature is slightly above 21°C, but often even in midsummer temperatures stay around 0°C. Most low temperatures on the east coast. In Pituffik, the average January temperature is -27°C. Here, strong katabatic winds often blow from the surface of the ice sheet at a speed of up to 70 m/h. In winter, the bays and fjords, even on the western coast north of Disko Island, freeze over. The southwestern coast of Greenland receives quite a lot of rainfall. The average annual precipitation in Qaqortoq is 1080 mm, in Nuuk - 660 mm, on far north- only 100–200 mm. In summer, the coast is often foggy.

In the extreme south of Greenland there is a birch crooked forest (forest tundra). Some vegetables can be grown in these areas and sheep can be herded. On the western coast, tundra vegetation is common, in places there are thickets of shrubby willow. Most of the coast of northern and eastern Greenland is a polar desert.

Animal world Greenland itself is not rich. Reindeer, polar bear, arctic fox, ermine, hare and lemming live here. Sometimes there are wolves. The musk ox population is now greatly reduced. On the coastal rocks - bird colonies.

In the waters of Greenland common halibut, striped catfish, cod, sea bass, flounder and other fish species. Plentiful shrimp. In addition, there are several species of seals, beluga whales, narwhals and walruses.

Population.

In 1998, 59.3 thousand people lived in Greenland. Most of the population is concentrated on the west coast. Only 8% of the population are Europeans, mostly Danes, the rest are Greenlandic Eskimos (self-name - Inuit). 38.2% of Greenlanders are Lutherans.

The official languages ​​are Greenlandic and Danish. In the Greenlandic language, there are three very different dialects - West Greenlandic, East Greenlandic and North Greenlandic. The literary norm is based on the West Greenlandic dialect.

In eastern Greenland, the population is sparse and concentrated in the areas of the trading posts of Angmagssalik and Itokortormiit (Scoresbysund). Along the southwestern coast, settlements are found from the southern tip of Greenland (Cape Farewell) to Upernavik on the east coast of Baffin Bay. IN administrative center The Greenland city of Nuuk is home to 13.3 thousand people (1996). In northwestern Greenland, the polar Eskimos live, who have experienced less of the influence of civilization compared to other natives. In this area there are small trading posts Kanak (Thule) and Eta.

Economic and social conditions.

Greenland has limited natural resources, and Denmark annually allocates large subsidies to it (427.2 million dollars in 1995). Most of the inhabitants are engaged in seal fishing, shrimp and cod fishing. Sheep breeding, organized on the initiative of the Danish government in 1913, was developed in areas with a milder climate in the south and southwest of Greenland. In small settlements, natives live in huts lined with turf or stone, while in larger towns and cities, standard frame houses have been erected.

Under laws passed in 1950-1951, Greenland became open to foreigners who received permission from the Danish government, and Greenlanders acquired the right to emigrate. Fish canning factories, refrigerators, shipbuilding workshops and other industrial enterprises have been set up in Greenland. The schools have established technical training for Aboriginal people. The state monopoly has been abolished, although at the same time new restrictions have been introduced for Danish citizens on business and trade. Under Danish law, all persons living in Greenland enjoy free medical care. The work of doctors is paid by the state. Education is compulsory for children between the ages of 7 and 16. Education is conducted mainly in Greenlandic. The island has several weekly and monthly periodicals in Danish and Greenlandic.

The economic basis of the life of the population is marine fishing. Large whales were once abundant in coastal waters, but their population was on the verge of extinction as a result of the predatory activities of Dutch, English, American and Scandinavian whalers. The fishery is currently marine mammals is the main source of income for only 2.5 thousand inhabitants of Greenland. Most importance has a seal trade, the skins of which, after processing, are supplied to the domestic market and exported. In northern and eastern Greenland, the importance of sea fishing and land hunting as the basis of the aboriginal food is preserved.

In some areas in the extreme south, sheep and vegetable growing are developed.

In Greenland's exports, 85% (by value) are shrimp and fish (including salted cod), with the former predominating in the composition of exports. In addition, wool is exported. The main sales markets are the countries of the European Union and Japan.

Greenland is rich in mineral resources. Graphite, coal, lead, zinc, cryolite and marble have been mined in the past, but development of the deposits has now been curtailed, mainly due to unprofitability. In the mountains of Greenland are found gems: garnets, rubies, Moonstone, as well as the very rare tuttupit.

In Greenland great importance acquires international tourism. However, while the number of tourists does not exceed 5,000 people a year.

Story.

Greenland was discovered by Scandinavian pioneers in the 10th century. The Norwegian navigator Erik the Red spent three years there, studying southwest coast, and in 984 gave the island the name Greenland (in translation - " green country”) to show its attractiveness for the settlement. In 986 Eric founded two colonies near modern city Qaqortoq (Yulianehob). They flourished for a while, but probably ca. 1500 disappeared for an unknown reason. The last written reports of Old Norse colonies in Greenland date back to 1408. Scandinavian explorers landed on the deserted east coast of the island in 1472, and Dutch sailors saw it in 1539. English navigator Martin Frobisher, searcher Northwest Passage, in 1576 he saw Cape Farvel, and in 1578 he landed on the southwestern coast of Greenland. The English sailor John Davies mapped most of the east coast during his voyages in 1585 and 1587. Davis Strait, which borders the island to the west, is named after him.

In the 17th century Dutch traders made numerous attempts to establish trade with the natives of Greenland. The Danes only became involved in this trading activity in 1721, when the missionary Hans Egede founded a permanent settlement on the west bank. In 1729 Greenland was declared a Danish colony, its administration was in Copenhagen. From 1776 trade with Greenland was declared a Danish monopoly. In 1825 the Greenland Commission was established. On May 10, 1921, Greenland was declared a territory of Denmark, and the mooring of foreign ships on its coast was prohibited. Norway put forward territorial claims to the part of eastern Greenland between 71°30' and 75°40' N, but in 1933 this issue was settled in favor of Denmark.

The Americans showed interest in Greenland as early as the beginning of the 18th century. American whaling ships entered the Davis Strait in 1732 hunting for the bowhead whale. In 1737, twelve ships were specially equipped in Provincetown (Massachusetts) for whaling in this strait. However, in 1741 whaling expeditions were forced to curtail their activities due to the opposition of French and Spanish privateers.

Rear Admiral Robert Peary began exploration in the Arctic with a voyage to inland Greenland in 1886. He crossed northern Greenland in 1891–1892 and subsequently used the island as a base for expeditions to the North Pole. Since then, many travelers and scientists have visited Greenland. Among them was a professor at the University of Michigan, William Herbert Hobbs, who in 1926-1931 conducted aerological research there, which greatly contributed to the development of polar meteorology. In 1939, two expeditions - German and British - penetrated into the hard-to-reach inland regions of the island with altitudes of 2400-3050 m to conduct meteorological and glaciological studies. In the second half of the 1950s, an international glaciological expedition led by P.-E. Victor worked in Greenland, which made a great contribution to the study of the ice sheet.

Currently, Greenland is used as a base for submarines, aircraft, radar and radar installations and meteorological stations USA. home air force base The USA is located in Kanak (Tula) on the northwest coast of Greenland.

Immediately after the German invasion of Denmark during World War II, the United States and Denmark entered into an agreement granting the United States rights to establish bases in Greenland. Subsequent negotiations within NATO in 1951 culminated in the conclusion of an agreement on the joint use of these bases by both countries. At the same time, the sovereignty of Denmark was invariably recognized, and special rules were developed for the presence of American troops in Greenland. In 1986, the area of ​​two American radar bases was halved, and the vacant land was returned to the locals.

Control

Greenland until 1953 was carried out by the National Commissioner and the Council for Greenland Affairs, elected by the inhabitants of the island, and coordinated by the administration of Greenland Affairs in Copenhagen. In 1953, the colonial regime in Greenland was abolished, and under the new Danish constitution, Greenland became part of Denmark and received two seats in the Danish parliament. In 1979, following a referendum, local government was transferred to Greenland. The Council for Greenland Affairs was abolished and instead a parliament was created, which elects the executive body of local government - the Landsting. Remained under the control of Denmark foreign policy, defense, justice and finance. The people of Greenland elect two representatives to the Danish Parliament, the Folketing. All Greenlanders, upon reaching the age of 18, have the right to vote Legislature- Landsting, which controls internal affairs. The leader of the majority party becomes prime minister, heading the cabinet of ministers, the Landsture, who is elected from the Landsting. In Greenland, after the introduction of self-government in 1979, two political parties were formed - Siumut (Forward) and Atassut (Cohesion). The first of these advocates the expansion of autonomy, especially in the field of economy and the use of natural resources, the second - defends the preservation of the state community with Denmark. Siumut's representatives have served as prime minister in the Greenland government: Lutheran pastor Jonathan Motsfeldt (1979–1991 and 1997–present) and Lars Emil Johansen (1991–1997). There is also a left-wing socialist Inuit atagatigiit (Inuit Brotherhood) party that demands complete separation from Denmark. In the elections to the Landsting in 1995, Siumut received 12 seats, Atassut - 10, Inuit atagatigiit - 6, other groups - 3.

The national holiday of Greenland is celebrated on June 21 as the day of the granting of autonomy. His official name– Ullortunek (the longest day).

Greenland is an island almost entirely covered in glaciers. What else do people know about him? Where it is located? Who lives there? And who owns Greenland?

Geographic reference

Greenland is largest island in the world. Its area is slightly less than 2200 thousand km2. The length is about 2600 km, and maximum width- 1200 km.

It is located near the northeastern part of North America, between the Atlantic and Arctic oceans.

Despite its impressive size, it is sparsely populated. This is easily explained by the fact that less than 20% of the entire area is habitable, since Greenland is an island covered by more than 80% of the thick layer of ice.

The population of the island is about 56 thousand people living on its southwestern coast due to the milder climate. In summer, the air temperature here rises to +10 degrees, in winter it averages -7. In the central part in winter, the temperature often drops below -40 degrees, and in summer it does not reach positive indicators, mainly fluctuating around the mark of -10 degrees. largest city is the capital - Nuuk (Gothob).

Island colonization

Europeans learned about the island only in the X century. Then it was a complete empty place without permanent residents. Therefore, the question of who owns Greenland simply did not arise in those days. The Vikings really began to explore the island. The first was Erik Raudi (Redhead), who was banished from Iceland for three years for a murder he had committed.

Together with his family and servants, he sailed towards Greenland in 982. From the tops of the Icelandic mountains on clear days it was possible to observe its lands, so the Viking went in this direction out of curiosity.

During his stay there, Eric was able to study quite well large area but never met a single person. He is the author of the name of the island, literally meaning " green earth". Regarding such an interesting name, there are several versions. According to one of them, in those days the climate was warmer and milder, so Greenland is an island that was indeed covered with greenery.

According to the second version, the name was nothing more than a publicity stunt that served as a bait for the inhabitants of Iceland to go to explore new territories. After returning from exile, Eric began to recruit volunteers to go to the development of Greenland. As a result, the Viking was able to collect a sufficient number of applicants, but not all ships managed to get to Greenland: only 14 out of 25 successfully mastered a very difficult journey. And as a result, the first European state was founded.

End of independence

Greenland retained absolute independence until 1261, when the inhabitants of the colony decided to swear allegiance to the king of Norway. He had to ensure the supply of the island with everything necessary, and the inhabitants of Greenland, in turn, paid taxes to the Norwegian treasury. At the same time, the colony retained the opportunity to live by its own laws.

Norway entered into a personal union in 1380 with Denmark. This union became the reason for the claims of Denmark to the island, which she presented several centuries later. Since the 18th century, Denmark has been exactly the state to which Greenland belongs.

New period of development

For various reasons, the colony of European settlers disappeared from Greenland by 1540. Only the Inuit remained.

Due to the final unification of the Norwegian and Danish kingdoms into one, which took place in 1536, the question of who owns Greenland was resolved by itself. It has now become the seat of Danish jurisdiction, not Norway.

At the same time, the island was an abandoned territory. Regular expeditions resumed only in 1578. And in the 17th century, the waters of Greenland became more visited due to the development of whaling. On the shores of the island, sometimes there were short stays of sailors, but no new settlements were created.

In 1814, Norway seceded from the Kingdom of Denmark, which left Greenland behind. Denmark managed to keep all its overseas colonies. The influence of the kingdom was strengthened in Greenland, but its laws extended only to the Danes who lived here. The Inuit, who also inhabited these lands and their descendants who migrated from Canada, were not subject to these laws.

At the beginning of the 20th century, after Norway gained sovereignty, it laid claim to Greenland. As a result of legal disputes, the island was finally transferred to Denmark.

During World War II, Denmark was physically unable to control such a remote territory. Due to various strategic interests in Greenland, the island's relationship with Canada and the United States has intensified.

Modern life

Greenland's colonial status ended in 1953 when it officially became part of Denmark. But due to the conflict between the interests of the population of the island and the kingdom, they began to fight for autonomy, which they achieved in 1982. It was further expanded in 2009. And in 1985, Greenland left the EU, which is an absolutely unique case.

The area of ​​Greenland is 50 times the size of Denmark, but the population is 100 times smaller. Most of the inhabitants are Inuit, and only 10% are Europeans.

The main types of fishing local population are fishing and hunting. The island has good air links, with a sufficient level of high technology development.

It is an attractive place for tourists. Here you can enjoy unforgettable views, admire the northern lights, get acquainted with the cuisine of the Eskimos.

Due to the fact that the inhabitants of the island zealously defend their interests, it is quite difficult to say unconditionally who owns Greenland. Legally, it is a territory of Denmark, but with such wide autonomy, it belongs to the inhabitants themselves. Perhaps, after some time, Greenland will completely separate from Denmark and become an independent state.