Greenland Travel Guide

Country Facts

Location

South Arctic/North Atlantic.

Language

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

Area

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

Time Zone

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.

Population

57,600 (2009 estimate).

Population Density

0.027 per sq km.

Capital City

Nuuk (Godthåb). Population: 15,047 (2007).

Government

Part of the Kingdom of Denmark, with a self-rule agreement.

Head of Government

Prime Minister Jakob Kuupik Kleist since 2009.

Head of State

HM Queen Margarethe II since 1972.

Religion

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

Recent History

More than 75% of Greenlanders voted in favor of self-rule in the November 2008 referendum, paving the way for independence from Denmark. Self-rule was assumed in June 2009, giving Greenland rights to potentially lucrative Arctic resources, as well as control over justice, police and prison affairs and, to a certain extent, foreign affairs.

Doubts remain, however, over the viability of sovereignty - Greenland currently receives annual subsidies from Denmark amounting to almost half of its budget, but it is hoped that expected increases in revenue from the island's minerals will eventually help fund a complete breakaway from Copenhagen.

Communications

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.

Post

Greenland produces its own stamps which are popular among collectors. Post from Greenland takes about four to five days to reach Europe.Mon-Fri 0900-1500.

Press

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

Radio

•Kalaallit Nunaata Radio(Radio Greenland) (www.knr.gl) also broadcasts radio programs in Greenlandic and Danish.

Public Holidays

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2011-December 2012 period.
2010
25 Dec Christmas
31 Dec New Year’s Eve

2011
1 Jan New Year’s Day
6 Jan Epiphany
21 Apr Maundy Thursday
22 Apr Good Friday
25 Apr Easter Monday
8 May Great Prayer Day
2 Jun Ascension
13 Jun Whit Monday
21 Jun National Day
25 Dec Christmas
31 Dec New Year’s Eve

2012
1 Jan New Year’s Day
6 Jan Epiphany
5 Apr Maundy Thursday
6 Apr Good Friday
9 Apr Easter Monday
4 May Great Prayer Day
17 May Ascension
28 May Whit Monday
21 Jun National Day
25 Dec - 26 Dec Christmas
31 Dec New Year’s Eve

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.