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NAVIGATION
Greenland
Kalaallit Nunaat
GOVERNMENT
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Country name:
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conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Greenland local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat local long form: none |
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Dependency status:
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part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1979 |
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Government type:
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parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy |
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Capital:
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Nuuk (Godthab) |
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Administrative divisions:
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3 districts (landsdele); Avannaa (Nordgronland), Tunu (Ostgronland), Kitaa (Vestgronland)
note: there are 18 municipalities in Greenland |
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Independence:
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none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1979)
note: foreign affairs is the responsibility of Denmark, but Greenland actively participates in international agreements relating to Greenland |
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National holiday:
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June 21 (longest day) |
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Constitution:
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5 June 1953 (Danish constitution) |
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Legal system:
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Danish |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Gunnar MARTENS (since NA 1995)
note: government coalition - Siumut and Atassut election results: Hans ENOKSEN elected prime minister head of government: Prime Minister Hans ENOKSEN (since 14 December 2002) cabinet: Home Rule Government is elected by the Parliament (Landstinget) on the basis of the strength of parties elections: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by the monarch; prime minister is elected by Parliament (usually the leader of the majority party); election last held 3 December 2002 (next to be held NA December 2006) |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral Parliament or Landstinget (31 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
note: two representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament or Folketing on 20 November 2001 (next to be held no later than November 2005); percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Siumut 1, Inuit Ataqatigiit 1 election results: percent of vote by party - Siumut 28.7%, Inuit Ataqatigiit 25.5%, Atassut Party 20.4%, Demokratiit 15.6%, Katusseqatigiit 5.3%; seats by party - Siumut 10, Inuit Ataqatigiit 8, Atassut 7, Demokratiit 5, Katusseqatigiit 1 elections: last held on 3 December 2002 (next to be held by NA December 2006) |
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Judicial branch:
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High Court or Landsret (appeals can be made to the Ostre Landsret or Eastern Division of the High Court or Supreme Court in Copenhagen) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Akulliit Party [Bjarne KREUTZMANN]; Atassut Party (Solidarity, a conservative party favoring continuing close relations with Denmark) [Daniel SKIFTE]; Demokratiit [leader NA]; Inuit Ataqatigiit or IA (Eskimo Brotherhood, a leftist party favoring complete independence from Denmark rather than home rule) [Josef MOTZFELDT]; Issituup (Polar Party) [Nicolai HEINRICH]; Kattusseqatigiit (Candidate List, an independent right-of-center party with no official platform [leader NA]; Siumut (Forward Party, a social democratic party advocating more distinct Greenlandic identity and greater autonomy from Denmark) [Hans ENOKSEN] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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International organization participation:
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NC, NIB |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) |
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Flag description:
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two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a large disk slightly to the hoist side of center - the top half of the disk is red, the bottom half is white |
ECONOMY
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Economy - overview:
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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. Despite several interesting hydrocarbon and minerals exploration activities, it will take several years before production can materialize. Tourism is the only sector offering any near-term potential, and even this is limited due to a short season and high costs. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $1.1 billion (2001 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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NA% |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $20,000 (2001 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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1.6% (1999 est.) |
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Labor force:
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24,500 (1999 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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10% (2000 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $646 million
expenditures: $629 million, including capital expenditures of $85 million (1999) (1999) |
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Industries:
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fish processing (mainly shrimp and Greenland halibut), handicrafts, hides and skins, small shipyards, mining |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA% |
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Electricity - production:
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250 million kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 100%
note: Greenland is shifting its electricity production from fossil fuel to hydroelectric power production (2000) hydro: 0% other: 0% nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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232.5 million kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2000) |
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Agriculture - products:
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forage crops, garden and greenhouse vegetables; sheep, reindeer; fish |
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Exports:
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$264 million f.o.b. (2000) |
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Exports - commodities:
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fish and fish products 94% (prawns 63%) |
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Exports - partners:
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EU (mainly Denmark) 85%, Japan 8%, US 2% (1999) |
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Imports:
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$349 million c.i.f. (2000) |
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, petroleum products |
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Imports - partners:
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EU (mostly Denmark), Norway, US, Canada |
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Debt - external:
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$25 million (1999) (1999) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$380 million subsidy from Denmark (1999) |
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Currency:
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Danish krone (DKK) |
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Currency code:
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DKK |
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Exchange rates:
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Danish kroner per US dollar - 8.418 (January 2002), 8.323 (2001), 8.083 (2000), 6.976 (1999), 6.701 (1998), 6.604 (1997) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |