oal, molybdenum,
cryolite, uranium, fish

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 1%
forest and woodland: 0%
other: 99%

Irrigated land: 0 sq km

Environment:
current issues: NA
natural hazards: continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of
the island
international agreements: NA

Geographic note: dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North
America and Europe; sparse population confined to small settlements
along coast

People
------

Population: 58,203 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 27% (male 7,871; female 7,723)
15-64 years: 68% (male 21,755; female 17,961)
65 years and over: 5% (male 1,307; female 1,586) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 1% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 17.06 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 7.11 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.21 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
all ages: 1.13 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 23.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 68.24 years
male: 63.97 years
female: 72.53 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.22 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Greenlander(s)
adjective: Greenlandic

Ethnic divisions: Greenlander 86% (Eskimos and Greenland-born
whites), Danish 14%

Religions: Evangelical Lutheran

Languages: Eskimo dialects, Danish

Literacy: NA

Government
----------

Name of country:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Greenland
local long form: none
local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat

Data code: GL

Type of government: part of the Danish realm; self-governing
overseas administrative division

Capital: Nuuk (Godthab)

Administrative divisions: 3 municipalities (kommuner, singular -
kommun); Nordgronland, Ostgronland, Vestgronland

Independence: none (part of the Danish realm; self-governing
overseas administrative division)

National holiday: Birthday of the Queen, 16 April (1940)

Constitution: 5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)

Legal system: Danish

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II (of Denmark since 14 January
1972), a constitutiona