Grænlands

Grænlands is the Danish genitive form used to denote possession relating to Greenland; in standard Danish the territory’s official name is Grønland. The term Grænlands is not the official name of a place, but may appear in possessive phrases in Danish texts.

Greenland (Danish Grønland) is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. The island covers about 2.166 million square kilometers, and roughly 80% is covered by an ice sheet. The administrative capital is Nuuk. The population is around 56,000, mainly along the west coast; Greenlandic (Kalaallisut) is the official language, with Danish also widely used.

Historically, Greenland was settled by Inuit peoples and experienced Norse contact in the medieval period. It became a Danish colony in the 18th century and gained home rule in 1979, with expanded self-government in 2009. The political system features a unicameral Parliament (Inatsisartut) and a Premier as head of government, while the Danish monarch remains the head of state, represented by a High Commissioner.

Economy and services are centered on fishing, including shrimp and halibut, with growing activity in mining and tourism. Most goods are imported, and financial support comes from Denmark. The territory faces environmental challenges related to climate change, including ice-sheet dynamics and coastal ecosystem impacts.

Greenlandic culture, language, and crafts—alongside contemporary art and music—form a core part of Greenland’s identity, reflecting a blend of Inuit heritage and Danish influence.