GeographyGreenland

Greenland isnorthern North American island betweenArctic Ocean andNorth Atlantic Ocean, northeastCanada, at 72 00 N, 40 00 W. The country has no land boundaries44,087 kmcoastline.

The climatearcticsubarcticcool summerscold winters. The terrainmostlyflat but gradually sloping icecap that covers all land except fornarrow, mountainous, barren, rocky coast. The lowest pointat sea level, andhighestGunnbjorn (3,700 m). Natural resources include zinc, lead, iron ore, coal, molybdenum, gold, platinum, uranium, fish, sealss, whales

Tablecontents

1 Area 2 Land use 3 Irrigated land 4 Natural hazards 5 Environment - current issues 6 Geography - note

Area

total: 2,175,600 kmē
land: 2,175,600 kmē (341,700 kmē ice-free, 1,833,900 kmē ice-covered) (est.)

Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 3 nm

Land use

arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 1%
forestswoodland: 0%
other: 99% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land

NA kmē

Natural hazards

continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds ofisland

Environment - current issues

protection ofarctic environment; preservation ofInuit traditional waylife, including whaling; note - Greenland participates activelyInuit Circumpolar Conference (ICC)

Geography - note

dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North AmericaEurope; sparse population confinedsmall settlements along coast; world's second largest ice cap