Greenland Country & Tourist Information

Location
South Arctic/North Atlantic.

Area
2,166,086 sq km (836,330 sq miles).

Population
56,375 (2005 estimate).

Population Density
0.026 per sq km.

Capital
Nuuk (Godthåb).
Population: 15,000 (2005).

Government
Part of the Kingdom of Denmark.

Language
The official languages are Greenlandic, an Inuit (Eskimo) language and Danish. Greenlanders connected with tourism will normally speak English.

Religion
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark majority, with small groups of Roman Catholics and other Protestant denominations.

Time
Central/Southern Greenland: GMT - 3 (GMT - 2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).
East Greenland: GMT - 1 (GMT from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).
West Greenland: GMT - 4 (GMT -3 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).

Electricity
220 volts AC, 50Hz.

Head of Government
Prime Minister Hans Enoksen since 2002.

Head of State
HM Queen Margarethe II since 1972.

Recent History
Coalition governments have controlled Greenland for the last 20-odd years. These have proved generally stable, but 2003 was an exception. The December 2002 election had returned Siumut as the largest party, forming a coalition government with Inuit Ataqatigiit (Inuit Brotherhood; IA) under the premiership of Siumut leader Hans Enoksen. However, the government fell after a month under farcical circumstances, relating to the activities of a faith-healer apparently hired to purge Government offices of evil spirits. Siumut and Enoksen remained in power, with Attasut as its coalition partner, but this government was also short-lived. It collapsed after eight months following a dispute over miscalculation of the territory’s budget. The IA has now rejoined Siumut in government.

Executive power rests with the five-member Landsstyre, excepting defense, foreign affairs and constitutional affairs for which the Danish government is responsible. Its members are drawn from the local legislature, the Landsting (known also by its Inuit title Inatsi-Satut), which has 31 members elected for four years.

Telephone
Country code: 299. There are no area codes. There are no telephone boxes in Greenland, but calls can be made from hotels.

Mobile Telephone
Handsets can be hired at TELE Greenland shops (in all cities). A deposit is required. Roaming agreements exist with some international mobile phone companies. Coverage is limited to main towns.

Internet
There are Internet cafes in many towns. Access is available in some public libraries.

Media



Post
Greenland produces its own stamps which are popular among collectors. Post from Greenland takes about four to five days to reach Europe.

Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1500.

Press
• There are no daily newspapers in Greenland, but Atuagagdliutit/Gronlandsposten is published twice a week, Sermitsiaq is the main weekly publication and Niviarsiaq is published monthly.
• There are no English language newspapers.

Radio
• Kalaallit Nunaata Radio (Radio Greenland) broadcasts radio programs in Greenlandic and Danish.

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2009-December 2010 period.

2009
1 Jan New Year's Day.
6 Jan Epiphany. 
9 Apr Maundy Thursday.
10 Apr Good Friday.
13 Apr Easter Monday. 
8 May Great Prayer Day.
21 May Ascension. 
1 Jun Whit Monday.
21 Jun National Day.
24-26 Dec Christmas.
31 Dec New Year's Eve.

2010
1 Jan New Year's Day.
6 Jan Epiphany. 
1 Apr Maundy Thursday.
2 Apr Good Friday.
5 Apr Easter Monday. 
Apr/May* Great Prayer Day.
13 May Ascension. 
24 May Whit Monday.
21 Jun National Day.
24-26 Dec Christmas.
31 Dec New Year's Eve.

* Date to be confirmed.

Contact Information:

Diplomatic representation
Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and is represented abroad by Danish Embassies – see Denmark section.

Greenland Tourism
PO Box 1615, Hans Egedesvej 29, DK-3900 Nuuk, Greenland
Tel: 342 820.
Website: www.greenland.com

Grønlands Hjemmestyre (Greenland Home Rule Government)
PO Box 1015, DK-3900 Nuuk, Greenland
Tel: 345 000.
Website: www.nanoq.gl

VisitDenmark in the UK
55 Sloane Street, London SW1X 9SY, UK
Tel: (020) 7259 5959 (Mon, Wed and Fri 1000-1300).
Website: www.visitdenmark.com

VisitDenmark in the USA
PO Box 4649, Grand Central Station, New York, NY 10063, USA
Tel: (212) 885 9700.
Website: www.goscandinavia.com
Not open to the public.


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