Greenland (2002) | Gibraltar (2005) | |
![]() | ![]() | |
Administrative divisions | 3 districts (landsdele); Avannaa (Nordgronland), Tunu (Ostgronland), Kitaa (Vestgronland)
note: there are 18 municipalities in Greenland |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 26.3% (male 7,561; female 7,284)
15-64 years: 68.1% (male 20,880; female 17,489) 65 years and over: 5.6% (male 1,442; female 1,720) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years: 17.8% (male 2,529/female 2,426)
15-64 years: 66% (male 9,442/female 8,970) 65 years and over: 16.2% (male 2,008/female 2,509) (2005 est.) |
Agriculture - products | forage crops, garden and greenhouse vegetables; sheep, reindeer; fish | none |
Airports | 15 (2001) | 1 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 9
over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 5 (2002) |
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2002) |
- |
Area | total: 2,166,086 sq km
land: 2,166,086 sq km (410,449 sq km ice-free, 1,755,637 sq km ice-covered) (est.) |
total: 6.5 sq km
land: 6.5 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly more than three times the size of Texas | about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC |
Background | The world's largest non-continental island, about 84% ice-capped, Greenland was granted self-government in 1978 by the Danish parliament. The law went into effect the following year. Denmark continues to exercise control of Greenland's foreign affairs. | Strategically important, Gibraltar was ceded to Great Britain by Spain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht; the British garrison was formally declared a colony in 1830. In referendums held in 1967 and 2002, Gibraltarians ignored Spanish pressure and voted overwhelmingly to remain a British dependency. |
Birth rate | 16.27 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 10.87 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $646 million
expenditures: $629 million, including capital expenditures of $85 million (1999) (1999) |
revenues: $307 million
expenditures: $284 million, including capital expenditures of NA (FY00/01 est.) |
Capital | Nuuk (Godthab) | Gibraltar |
Climate | arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters | Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers |
Coastline | 44,087 km | 12 km |
Constitution | 5 June 1953 (Danish constitution) | 30 May 1969 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Greenland local long form: none local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Gibraltar |
Currency | Danish krone (DKK) | - |
Death rate | 7.61 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 9.18 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Debt - external | $25 million (1999) (1999) | $NA (2000 est.) |
Dependency status | part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1979 | overseas territory of the UK |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Disputes - international | none | in 2003, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum to remain a British colony and against a "total shared sovereignty" arrangement while demanding participation in talks between the UK and Spain; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar even greater autonomy |
Economic aid - recipient | $380 million subsidy from Denmark (1999) | $NA |
Economy - overview | The economy remains critically dependent on exports of fish and substantial support from the Danish Government, which supplies about half of government revenues. The public sector, including publicly owned enterprises and the municipalities, plays the dominant role in the economy. Despite several interesting hydrocarbon and minerals exploration activities, it will take several years before production can materialize. Tourism is the only sector offering any near-term potential, and even this is limited due to a short season and high costs. | Self-sufficient Gibraltar benefits from an extensive shipping trade, offshore banking, and its position as an international conference center. The British military presence has been sharply reduced and now contributes about 7% to the local economy, compared with 60% in 1984. The financial sector, tourism (almost 5 million visitors in 1998), shipping services fees, and duties on consumer goods also generate revenue. The financial sector, the shipping sector, and tourism each contribute 25%-30% of GDP. Telecommunications accounts for another 10%. In recent years, Gibraltar has seen major structural change from a public to a private sector economy, but changes in government spending still have a major impact on the level of employment. |
Electricity - consumption | 232.5 million kWh (2000) | 96.76 million kWh (2002) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2002) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2002) |
Electricity - production | 250 million kWh (2000) | 104 million kWh (2002) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% note: Greenland is shifting its electricity production from fossil fuel to hydroelectric power production (2000) |
- |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Gunnbjorn 3,700 m |
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Rock of Gibraltar 426 m |
Environment - current issues | protection of the arctic environment; preservation of the Inuit traditional way of life, including whaling and seal hunting | limited natural freshwater resources: large concrete or natural rock water catchments collect rainwater (no longer used for drinking water) and adequate desalination plant |
Ethnic groups | Greenlander 88% (Inuit and Greenland-born whites), Danish and others 12% (January 2000) | Spanish, Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese, German, North Africans |
Exchange rates | Danish kroner per US dollar - 8.418 (January 2002), 8.323 (2001), 8.083 (2000), 6.976 (1999), 6.701 (1998), 6.604 (1997) | Gibraltar pounds per US dollar - 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002), 0.6947 (2001), 0.6609 (2000)
note: the Gibraltar pound is at par with the British pound |
Executive branch | chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Gunnar MARTENS (since NA 1995)
head of government: Prime Minister Hans ENOKSEN (since 14 December 2002) cabinet: Home Rule Government is elected by the Parliament (Landstinget) on the basis of the strength of parties elections: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by the monarch; prime minister is elected by Parliament (usually the leader of the majority party); election last held 3 December 2002 (next to be held NA December 2006) election results: Hans ENOKSEN elected prime minister note: government coalition - Siumut and Atassut |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor and Commander-in-Chief Sir Francis RICHARDS (since 27 May 2003)
head of government: Chief Minister Peter CARUANA (since 17 May 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed from among the 15 elected members of the House of Assembly by the governor in consultation with the chief minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed chief minister by the governor |
Exports | $264 million f.o.b. (2000) | NA |
Exports - commodities | fish and fish products 94% (prawns 63%) | (principally reexports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods 41%, other 8% |
Exports - partners | EU (mainly Denmark) 85%, Japan 8%, US 2% (1999) | France 19.4%, Spain 14.1%, Turkmenistan 12.1%, Switzerland 11.7%, Germany 10.1%, UK 9.1%, Greece 6.8% (2004) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 July - 30 June |
Flag description | two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a large disk slightly to the hoist side of center - the top half of the disk is red, the bottom half is white | two horizontal bands of white (top, double width) and red with a three-towered red castle in the center of the white band; hanging from the castle gate is a gold key centered in the red band |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $1.1 billion (2001 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% (2002 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $20,000 (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $27,900 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 72 00 N, 40 00 W | 36 8 N, 5 21 W |
Geography - note | dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe; sparse population confined to small settlements along coast, but close to one-quarter of the population lives in the capital, Nuuk; world's second largest ice cap | strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea |
Highways | total: 150 km
paved: 60 km unpaved: 90 km |
total: 29 km
paved: 29 km unpaved: 0 km (2002) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | $349 million c.i.f. (2000) | NA |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, petroleum products | fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs |
Imports - partners | EU (mostly Denmark), Norway, US, Canada | Spain 19.9%, Russia 18.4%, UK 10.8%, Italy 8.8%, Germany 7.5%, US 5.1%, Sweden 4.7%, France 4.2% (2004) |
Independence | none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1979)
note: foreign affairs is the responsibility of Denmark, but Greenland actively participates in international agreements relating to Greenland |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | fish processing (mainly shrimp and Greenland halibut), handicrafts, hides and skins, small shipyards, mining | tourism, banking and finance, ship repairing, tobacco |
Infant mortality rate | 17.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: 5.13 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.71 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1.6% (1999 est.) | 1.5% (1998) |
International organization participation | NC, NIB | Interpol (subbureau), UPU |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | High Court or Landsret (appeals can be made to the Ostre Landsret or Eastern Division of the High Court or Supreme Court in Copenhagen) | Supreme Court; Court of Appeal |
Labor force | 24,500 (1999 est.) | 14,800 (including non-Gibraltar laborers) (1999) |
Labor force - by occupation | - | agriculture negligible, industry 40%, services 60% |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 1.2 km
border countries: Spain 1.2 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001) |
Languages | Greenlandic (East Inuit), Danish, English | English (used in schools and for official purposes), Spanish, Italian, Portuguese |
Legal system | Danish | English law |
Legislative branch | unicameral Parliament or Landstinget (31 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held on 3 December 2002 (next to be held by NA December 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - Siumut 28.7%, Inuit Ataqatigiit 25.5%, Atassut Party 20.4%, Demokratiit 15.6%, Katusseqatigiit 5.3%; seats by party - Siumut 10, Inuit Ataqatigiit 8, Atassut 7, Demokratiit 5, Katusseqatigiit 1 note: two representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament or Folketing on 20 November 2001 (next to be held no later than November 2005); percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Siumut 1, Inuit Ataqatigiit 1 |
unicameral House of Assembly (18 seats - 15 elected by popular vote, one appointed for the Speaker, and two ex officio members; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 27 November 2003 (next to be held not later than February 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - GSD 58%, GSLP 41%; seats by party - GSD 8, GSLP 7 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 68.69 years
male: 65.13 years female: 72.32 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 79.67 years
male: 76.8 years female: 82.7 years (2005 est.) |
Literacy | definition: NA
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% note: similar to Denmark proper |
definition: NA
total population: above 80% male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada | Southwestern Europe, bordering the Strait of Gibraltar, which links the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southern coast of Spain |
Map references | Arctic Region | Europe |
Maritime claims | continental shelf: 200 NM or agreed boundaries or median line
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM or agreed boundaries or median line territorial sea: 3 NM |
territorial sea: 3 nm |
Merchant marine | total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,289 GRT/1,500 DWT
ships by type: cargo 1, passenger 1, includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Denmark 1 (2002 est.) |
total: 161 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 980,636 GRT/1,254,661 DWT
by type: barge carrier 3, bulk carrier 2, cargo 96, chemical tanker 21, container 22, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 11, roll on/roll off 2 foreign-owned: 142 (Belgium 1, Cyprus 1, Finland 1, France 1, Germany 105, Greece 12, Iceland 1, Ireland 1, Italy 1, Latvia 1, Norway 8, Sweden 2, Switzerland 1, Taiwan 1, United Kingdom 3, United States 2) (2005) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Denmark | defense is the responsibility of the UK; the last British regular infantry forces left Gibraltar in 1992, replaced by the Royal Gibraltar Regiment |
Military branches | - | Royal Gibraltar Regiment |
National holiday | June 21 (longest day) | National Day, 10 September (1967); note - day of the national referendum to decide whether to remain with the UK or go with Spain |
Nationality | noun: Greenlander(s)
adjective: Greenlandic |
noun: Gibraltarian(s)
adjective: Gibraltar |
Natural hazards | continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island | NA |
Natural resources | zinc, lead, iron ore, coal, molybdenum, gold, platinum, uranium, fish, seals, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas | none |
Net migration rate | -8.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | Akulliit Party [Bjarne KREUTZMANN]; Atassut Party (Solidarity, a conservative party favoring continuing close relations with Denmark) [Daniel SKIFTE]; Demokratiit [leader NA]; Inuit Ataqatigiit or IA (Eskimo Brotherhood, a leftist party favoring complete independence from Denmark rather than home rule) [Josef MOTZFELDT]; Issituup (Polar Party) [Nicolai HEINRICH]; Kattusseqatigiit (Candidate List, an independent right-of-center party with no official platform [leader NA]; Siumut (Forward Party, a social democratic party advocating more distinct Greenlandic identity and greater autonomy from Denmark) [Hans ENOKSEN] | Gibraltar Liberal Party [Joseph GARCIA]; Gibraltar Social Democrats or GSD [Peter CARUANA]; Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or GSLP [Joseph John BOSSANO] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | Chamber of Commerce; Gibraltar Representatives Organization; Women's Association |
Population | 56,376 (July 2002 est.) | 27,884 (July 2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.03% (2002 est.) | 0.17% (2005 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Aasiaat (Egedesminde), Ilulissat (Jakobshavn), Kangerlussuaq, Nanortalik, Narsarsuaq, Nuuk (Godthab), Qaqortoq (Julianehab), Sisimiut (Holsteinsborg), Tasiilaq (March 2001) | Gibraltar |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 5, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 30,000 (1998 est.) | - |
Railways | 0 km | - |
Religions | Evangelical Lutheran | Roman Catholic 78.1%, Church of England 7%, other Christian 3.2%, Muslim 4%, Jewish 2.1%, Hindu 1.8%, other or unspecified 0.9%, none 2.9% (2001 census) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.19 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female total population: 1.13 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal, plus other UK subjects who have been residents six months or more |
Telephone system | general assessment: adequate domestic and international service provided by satellite, cables and microwave radio relay; totally digitalized in 1995
domestic: microwave radio relay and satellite international: satellite earth stations - 12 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 2 Americom GE-2 (all Atlantic Ocean) |
general assessment: adequate, automatic domestic system and adequate international facilities
domestic: automatic exchange facilities international: country code - 350; radiotelephone; microwave radio relay; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 25,617 (yearend 1999) | 24,512 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 12,676 (yearend 1999) | 9,797 (2002) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 publicly-owned station, some local low-power stations, and three AFRTS (US Air Force) stations (1997) | 1 (plus three low-power repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow, mountainous, barren, rocky coast | a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar |
Total fertility rate | 2.43 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 1.65 children born/woman (2005 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 10% (2000 est.) | 2% (2001 est.) |
Waterways | none | - |