Main page Compare countries Index countries Index fields

Query:
##ciekawa_strona##

Compare Greenland (2003) - United States (2002)

Compare Greenland (2003) z United States (2002)

 Greenland (2003)United States (2002)
 GreenlandUnited States
Administrative divisions 3 districts (landsdele); Avannaa (Nordgronland), Tunu (Ostgronland), Kitaa (Vestgronland)


note: there are 18 municipalities in Greenland
50 states and 1 district*; Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia*, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Age structure 0-14 years: 25.9% (male 7,463; female 7,161)


15-64 years: 68.3% (male 20,885; female 17,605)


65 years and over: 5.8% (male 1,508; female 1,763) (2003 est.)
0-14 years: 21% (male 30,116,782; female 28,765,183)


15-64 years: 66.4% (male 92,391,120; female 93,986,468)


65 years and over: 12.6% (male 14,748,522; female 20,554,414) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products forage crops, garden and greenhouse vegetables; sheep, reindeer; fish wheat, other grains, corn, fruits, vegetables, cotton; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; forest products; fish
Airports 14 (2002) 14,695 (2001)
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: 5,131 5,127


over 3,047 m: 185 183


2,438 to 3,047 m: 222 222


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1,365 1,342


914 to 1,523 m: 2,390 2,413


under 914 m: 969 967 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 5


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 2 (2002)
total: 9,670 9,568


over 3,047 m: 1 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 7


1,524 to 2,437 m: 158 165


914 to 1,523 m: 1,702 1,679


under 914 m: 7,802 7,716 (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) (2000 est.)
total: 9,629,091 sq km


land: 9,158,960 sq km


water: 470,131 sq km


note: includes only the 50 states and District of Columbia
Area - comparative slightly more than three times the size of Texas about half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the size of Africa; about half the size of South America (or slightly larger than Brazil); slightly larger than China; about two and a half times the size of Western Europe
Background The world's largest non-continental island, about 81% 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. Britain's American colonies broke with the mother country in 1776 and were recognized as the new nation of the United States of America following the Treaty of Paris in 1783. During the 19th and 20th centuries, 37 new states were added to the original 13 as the nation expanded across the North American continent and acquired a number of overseas possessions. The two most traumatic experiences in the nation's history were the Civil War (1861-65) and the Great Depression of the 1930s. Buoyed by victories in World Wars I and II and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the US remains the world's most powerful nation-state. The economy is marked by steady growth, low unemployment and inflation, and rapid advances in technology.
Birth rate 16.09 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 14.1 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $646 million


expenditures: $629 million, including capital expenditures of $85 million (1999)
revenues: $1.828 trillion


expenditures: $1.703 trillion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999)
Capital Nuuk (Godthab) Washington, DC
Climate arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida, arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the Mississippi River, and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest; low winter temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in January and February by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains
Coastline 44,087 km 19,924 km
Constitution 5 June 1953 (Danish constitution) 17 September 1787, effective 4 March 1789
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Greenland


local long form: none


local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat
conventional long form: United States of America


conventional short form: United States


abbreviation: US or USA
Currency Danish krone (DKK) US dollar (USD)
Death rate 7.66 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 8.7 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $25 million (1999) $862 billion (1995 est.)
Dependency status part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1979 -
Dependent areas - American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Wake Island


note: from 18 July 1947 until 1 October 1994, the US administered the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, but recently entered into a new political relationship with all four political units: the Northern Mariana Islands is a commonwealth in political union with the US (effective 3 November 1986); Palau concluded a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 1 October 1994); the Federated States of Micronesia signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 3 November 1986); the Republic of the Marshall Islands signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 21 October 1986)
Diplomatic representation from the US none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) -
Diplomatic representation in the US none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) -
Disputes - international uncontested dispute between Canada and Denmark over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenland maritime boundary disputes with Canada (Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, Machias Seal Island); US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased from Cuba and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease; Haiti claims Navassa Island; US has made no territorial claim in Antarctica (but has reserved the right to do so) and does not recognize the claims of any other state; Marshall Islands claims Wake Island
Economic aid - donor - ODA, $6.9 billion (1997) (1997)
Economic aid - recipient $380 million subsidy from Denmark -
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. The US has the largest and most technologically powerful economy in the world, with a per capita GDP of $36,300. In this market-oriented economy, private individuals and business firms make most of the decisions, and the federal and state governments buy needed goods and services predominantly in the private marketplace. US business firms enjoy considerably greater flexibility than their counterparts in Western Europe and Japan in decisions to expand capital plant, lay off surplus workers, and develop new products. At the same time, they face higher barriers to entry in their rivals' home markets than the barriers to entry of foreign firms in US markets. US firms are at or near the forefront in technological advances, especially in computers and in medical, aerospace, and military equipment, although their advantage has narrowed since the end of World War II. The onrush of technology largely explains the gradual development of a "two-tier labor market" in which those at the bottom lack the education and the professional/technical skills of those at the top and, more and more, fail to get comparable pay raises, health insurance coverage, and other benefits. Since 1975, practically all the gains in household income have gone to the top 20% of households. The years 1994-2000 witnessed solid increases in real output, low inflation rates, and a drop in unemployment to below 5%. The year 2001 witnessed the end of the boom psychology and performance, with output increasing only 0.3% and unemployment and business failures rising substantially. The response to the terrorist attacks of September 11 showed the remarkable resilience of the economy. Moderate recovery is expected in 2002, with the GDP growth rate rising to 2.5% or more. A major short-term problem in first half 2002 was a sharp decline in the stock market, fueled in part by the exposure of dubious accounting practices in some major corporations. Long-term problems include inadequate investment in economic infrastructure, rapidly rising medical and pension costs of an aging population, sizable trade deficits, and stagnation of family income in the lower economic groups.
Electricity - consumption 227.9 million kWh (2001) 3.613 trillion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 14.829 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 48.879 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 245 million kWh (2001) 3,799.944 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0%


note: Greenland is shifting its electricity production from fossil fuel to hydropower production (2001)
fossil fuel: 71%


hydro: 7%


nuclear: 20%


other: 2% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Gunnbjorn 3,700 m
lowest point: Death Valley -86 m


highest point: Mount McKinley 6,194 m
Environment - current issues protection of the arctic environment; preservation of the Inuit traditional way of life, including whaling and seal hunting air pollution resulting in acid rain in both the US and Canada; the US is the largest single emitter of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels; water pollution from runoff of pesticides and fertilizers; very limited natural fresh water resources in much of the western part of the country require careful management; desertification
Environment - international agreements - party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes
Ethnic groups Greenlander 88% (Inuit and Greenland-born whites), Danish and others 12% (January 2000) white 77.1%, black 12.9%, Asian 4.2%, Amerindian and Alaska native 1.5%, native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander 0.3%, other 4% (2000)


note: a separate listing for Hispanic is not included because the US Census Bureau considers Hispanic to mean a person of Latin American descent (including persons of Cuban, Mexican, or Puerto Rican origin) living in the US who may be of any race or ethnic group (white, black, Asian, etc.)
Exchange rates Danish kroner per US dollar - 7.8947 (2002), 8.323 (2001), 8.083 (2000), 6.976 (1999), 6.701 (1998) British pounds per US dollar - 0.6981 (January 2002), 0.6944 (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6106 (1997); Canadian dollars per US dollar - 1.6003 (January 2002), 1.5488 (2001), 1.4851 (2000), 1.4857 (1999), 1.4835 (1998), 1.3846 (1997); French francs per US dollar - 5.65 (January 1999), 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997); Italian lire per US dollar - 1,668.7 (January 1999), 1,763.2 (1998), 1,703.1 (1997); Japanese yen per US dollar - 132.66 (January 2002), 121.53 (2001), 107.77 (2000), 113.91 (1999), 130.91 (1998), 120.99 (1997); German deutsche marks per US dollar - 1.69 (January 1999), 1.9692 (1998), 1.7341 (1997); euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.08540 (2000), 0.93863 (1999)


note: financial institutions in France, Italy, and Germany and eight other European countries started using the euro on 1 January 1999 with the euro replacing the local currency in consenting countries for all transactions in 2002
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 Inuit Ataqatigiit
chief of state: President George W. BUSH (since 20 January 2001) and Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President George W. BUSH (since 20 January 2001) and Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with Senate approval


elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by a college of representatives who are elected directly from each state; president and vice president serve four-year terms; election last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held 2 November 2004)


election results: George W. BUSH elected president; percent of popular vote - George W. BUSH (Republican Party) 48%, Albert A. GORE, Jr. (Democratic Party) 48%, Ralph NADER (Green Party) 3%, other 1%
Exports NA (2001) $723 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Exports - commodities fish and fish products 94% (prawns 63%) capital goods, automobiles, industrial supplies and raw materials, consumer goods, agricultural products
Exports - partners Denmark 60.3%, Japan 15.5%, US 6%, Thailand 5%, Germany 4% (2002) Canada 22.4%, Mexico 13.9%, Japan 7.9%, UK 5.6%, Germany 4.1%, France, Netherlands (2001)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 October - 30 September
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 thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars; the 50 stars represent the 50 states, the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies; known as Old Glory; the design and colors have been the basis for a number of other flags, including Chile, Liberia, Malaysia, and Puerto Rico
GDP purchasing power parity - $1.1 billion (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $10.082 trillion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
agriculture: 2%


industry: 18%


services: 80% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $20,000 (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $36,300 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 1.8% (2001 est.) 0.3% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 72 00 N, 40 00 W 38 00 N, 97 00 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 world's third-largest country by size (after Russia and Canada) and by population (after China and India); Mt. McKinley is highest point in North America and Death Valley the lowest point on the continent
Heliports - 149 (2002)
Highways total: NA (there are no roads between towns) (2003) total: 6,370,031 km


paved: 5,733,028 km (including 74,091 km of expressways)


unpaved: 637,003 km (1997)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: 2%


highest 10%: 31% (1997) (1997)
Illicit drugs - consumer of cocaine shipped from Colombia through Mexico and the Caribbean; consumer of heroin, marijuana, and increasingly methamphetamine from Mexico; consumer of high-quality Southeast Asian heroin; illicit producer of cannabis, marijuana, depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens, and methamphetamine; money-laundering center
Imports NA (2001) $1.148 trillion f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Imports - commodities machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, petroleum products crude oil and refined petroleum products, machinery, automobiles, consumer goods, industrial raw materials, food and beverages
Imports - partners Denmark 74.6%, Norway 14.2%, Russia 2.3% (2002) Canada 19%, Mexico 11.5%, Japan 11.1%, China 8.9%, Germany 5.2%, UK, Taiwan (2001)
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
4 July 1776 (from Great Britain)
Industrial production growth rate NA% -3.7% (2001 est.)
Industries fish processing (mainly shrimp and Greenland halibut), handicrafts, hides and skins, small shipyards, mining leading industrial power in the world, highly diversified and technologically advanced; petroleum, steel, motor vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food processing, consumer goods, lumber, mining
Infant mortality rate total: 16.8 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 18.09 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 15.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
6.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1.6% (1999 est.) 2.8% (2001) (2001)
International organization participation NC, NIB AfDB, ANZUS, APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CP, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, ESCAP, FAO, G- 8, G-5, G-7, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MIPONUH, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNHCR, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTAET, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) 7,000 (2002 est.)
Irrigated land NA sq km 214,000 sq km (1998 est.)
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 (its nine justices are appointed for life by the president with confirmation by the Senate); United States Courts of Appeal; United States District Courts; State and County Courts
Labor force 24,500 (1999 est.) 141.8 million (includes unemployed) (2002)
Labor force - by occupation - managerial and professional 31%, technical, sales and administrative support 29%, services 14%, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and crafts 24%, farming, forestry, and fishing 2% (2002)


note: figures exclude the unemployed (2001)
Land boundaries 0 km total: 12,034 km


border countries: Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with Alaska), Mexico 3,141 km


note: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba is leased by the US and thus remains part of Cuba; the base boundary is 29 km
Land use arable land: 0%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 100% (1998 est.)
arable land: 19.32%


permanent crops: 0.22%


other: 80.46% (1998 est.)
Languages Greenlandic (East Inuit), Danish, English English, Spanish (spoken by a sizable minority)
Legal system Danish based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
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
bicameral Congress consists of the Senate (100 seats, one-third are renewed every two years; two members are elected from each state by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives (435 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)


elections: Senate - last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2004); House of Representatives - last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2004)


election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Republican Party 51, Democratic Party 46, independent 1, undecided 2; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Republican Party 226, Democratic Party 204, independent 1, undecided 4
Life expectancy at birth total population: 69 years


male: 65.44 years


female: 72.65 years (2003 est.)
total population: 77.4 years


male: 74.5 years


female: 80.2 years (2002 est.)
Literacy definition: NA


total population: NA%


male: NA%


female: NA%


note: similar to Denmark proper
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 97%


male: 97%


female: 97% (1979 est.)
Location Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico
Map references Arctic Region North America
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
contiguous zone: 24 NM


continental shelf: not specified


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,593 GRT/3,640 DWT


ships by type: cargo 2, passenger 1


note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Denmark 1 (2002 est.)
total: 248 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 8,259,914 GRT/10,568,706 DWT


ships by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 13, chemical tanker 15, collier 1, combination bulk 4, combination tanker 11, container 85, freighter 15, heavy lift carrier 3, petroleum tanker 70, roll on/roll off 28, vehicle carrier 2


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Australia 1, Canada 4, Denmark 15, France 1, Germany 1, Netherlands 3, Norway 7, Puerto Rico 4, Singapore 11, Sweden 1, United Kingdom 3; also, the US owns 549 additional ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 29,616,347 DWT that operate under the registries of Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Belize, Bermuda, Cambodia, Canada, Cayman Islands, Cyprus, Finland, Gibraltar, Hong Kong (China), Indonesia, Isle of Man, Italy, Liberia, Malta, Marshall Islands, Netherlands, Norway, Norway (NIS), Panama, Peru, Philippines, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Singapore, Tonga, UK, Vanuatu, and Wallis and Futuna (2002 est.)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of Denmark note: 2002 estimates for military manpower are based on projections that do not take into consideration the results of the 2000 census
Military branches - Department of the Army, Department of the Navy (includes Marine Corps), Department of the Air Force


note: the Coast Guard is normally subordinate to the Department of Transportation, but in wartime reports to the Department of the Navy
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $276.7 billion (FY99 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 3.2% (FY99 est.)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 73,597,731 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - NA
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 2,093,263 (2002 est.)
National holiday June 21 (longest day) Independence Day, 4 July (1776)
Nationality noun: Greenlander(s)


adjective: Greenlandic
noun: American(s)


adjective: American
Natural hazards continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island tsunamis, volcanoes, and earthquake activity around Pacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts; tornadoes in the midwest and southeast; mud slides in California; forest fires in the west; flooding; permafrost in northern Alaska, a major impediment to development
Natural resources zinc, lead, iron ore, coal, molybdenum, gold, platinum, uranium, fish, seals, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, uranium, bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, petroleum, natural gas, timber
Net migration rate -8.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) 3.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
People - note - note: data for the US are based on projections that do not take into consideration the results of the 2000 census
Pipelines - petroleum products 276,000 km; natural gas 331,000 km (1991)
Political parties and leaders Akulliit Party [Bjarne KREUTZMANN]; Atassut Party (Solidarity, a conservative party favoring continuing close relations with Denmark) [Augusta SALLING]; Demokratiit [Per BERTHELSEN]; 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] Democratic Party [Terence McAULIFFE, national committee chairman]; Green Party [leader NA]; Republican Party [Governor Marc RACICOT, national committee chairman]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 56,385 (July 2003 est.) 280,562,489 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 13% (2001 est.)
Population growth rate 0.01% (2003 est.) 0.89% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors Aasiaat (Egedesminde), Ilulissat (Jakobshavn), Kangerlussuaq, Nanortalik, Narsarsuaq, Nuuk (Godthab), Qaqortoq (Julianehab), Sisimiut (Holsteinsborg), Tasiilaq (March 2001) Anchorage, Baltimore, Boston, Charleston, Chicago, Duluth, Hampton Roads, Honolulu, Houston, Jacksonville, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Port Canaveral, Portland (Oregon), Prudhoe Bay, San Francisco, Savannah, Seattle, Tampa, Toledo
Radio broadcast stations AM 5, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 4,762, FM 5,542, shortwave 18 (1998)
Radios - 575 million (1997)
Railways 0 km total: 212,433 km mainline routes


standard gauge: 212,433 km 1.435-m gauge


note: represents the aggregate length of roadway of all line-haul railroads including an estimate for Class II and III railroads (1998)
Religions Evangelical Lutheran Protestant 56%, Roman Catholic 28%, Jewish 2%, other 4%, none 10% (1989)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.19 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female


total population: 1.13 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female


total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
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: a very large, technologically advanced, multipurpose communications system


domestic: a large system of fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and domestic satellites carries every form of telephone traffic; a rapidly growing cellular system carries mobile telephone traffic throughout the country


international: 24 ocean cable systems in use; satellite earth stations - 61 Intelsat (45 Atlantic Ocean and 16 Pacific Ocean), 5 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 4 Inmarsat (Pacific and Atlantic Ocean regions) (2000)
Telephones - main lines in use 25,617 (yearend 1999) 194 million (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 12,676 (yearend 1999) 69.209 million (1998)
Television broadcast stations 1 publicly-owned station, some local low-power stations, and three AFRTS (US Air Force) stations (1997) more than 1,500 (including nearly 1,000 stations affiliated with the five major networks - NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX, and PBS; in addition, there are about 9,000 cable TV systems) (1997)
Terrain flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow, mountainous, barren, rocky coast vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low mountains in east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys in Alaska; rugged, volcanic topography in Hawaii
Total fertility rate 2.43 children born/woman (2003 est.) 2.07 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 10% (2000 est.) 5% (2002)
Waterways none 41,009 km


note: navigable inland channels, exclusive of the Great Lakes
Sitemap: Compare countries listing (map site) | Country listing (map site)
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.