Greenland (2008) | Cocos (Keeling) Islands (2005) | |
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Administrative divisions | 3 districts (landsdele); Avannaa (Nordgronland), Tunu (Ostgronland), Kitaa (Vestgronland)
note: there are 18 municipalities in Greenland |
none (territory of Australia) |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 24% (male 6,926/female 6,597)
15-64 years: 69.1% (male 20,901/female 18,012) 65 years and over: 6.9% (male 1,873/female 2,035) (2007 est.) |
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA |
Agriculture - products | forage crops, garden and greenhouse vegetables; sheep, reindeer; fish | vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts |
Airports | 14 (2007) | 1 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 9
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 5 (2007) |
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 (2007) |
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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: 14 sq km
land: 14 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island |
Area - comparative | slightly more than three times the size of Texas | about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC |
Background | Greenland, the world's largest island, is about 81% ice-capped. Vikings reached the island in the 10th century from Iceland; Danish colonization began in the 18th century, and Greenland was made an integral part of Denmark in 1953. It joined the European Community (now the EU) with Denmark in 1973, but withdrew in 1985 over a dispute centered on stringent fishing quotas. Greenland was granted self-government in 1979 by the Danish parliament; the law went into effect the following year. Denmark continues to exercise control of Greenland's foreign affairs in consultation with Greenland's Home Rule Government. | There are 27 coral islands in the group. Captain William KEELING discovered the islands in 1609, but they remained uninhabited until the 19th century. Annexed by the UK in 1857, they were transferred to the Australian Government in 1955. The population on the two inhabited islands generally is split between the ethnic Europeans on West Island and the ethnic Malays on Home Island. |
Birth rate | 16.01 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | NA |
Budget | revenues: $1.36 billion
expenditures: $1.27 billion (2005) |
revenues: NA
expenditures: NA |
Capital | name: Nuuk (Godthab)
geographic coordinates: 64 11 N, 51 45 W time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October note: Greenland is divided into four time zones |
West Island |
Climate | arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters | tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year |
Coastline | 44,087 km | 26 km |
Constitution | 5 June 1953 (Danish constitution) | Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955 (23 November 1953) |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Greenland local long form: none local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat |
conventional long form: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands
conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
Death rate | 7.93 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | NA |
Debt - external | $25 million (1999) | - |
Dependency status | part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1979 | territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) | none (territory of Australia) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) | none (territory of Australia) |
Disputes - international | managed dispute between Canada and Denmark over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Canada's Ellesmere Island and Greenland | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $512 million; note - subsidy from Denmark (2005) | NA |
Economy - overview | The economy remains critically dependent on exports of fish and a substantial subsidy 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. Several interesting hydrocarbon and mineral exploration activities are ongoing. Press reports in early 2007 indicated that two international aluminum companies were considering building smelters in Greenland to take advantage of local hydropower potential. Tourism is the only sector offering any near-term potential, and even this is limited due to a short season and high costs. Air Greenland began summer-season direct flights to the U.S. east coast in May 2007, potentially opening a major new tourism market. | Grown throughout the islands, coconuts are the sole cash crop. Small local gardens and fishing contribute to the food supply, but additional food and most other necessities must be imported from Australia. There is a small tourist industry. |
Electricity - consumption | 279 million kWh (2005) | - |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2005) | - |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2005) | - |
Electricity - production | 300 million kWh (2005) | - |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Gunnbjorn 3,700 m |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m |
Environment - current issues | protection of the arctic environment; preservation of the Inuit traditional way of life, including whaling and seal hunting | fresh water resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs |
Ethnic groups | Greenlander 88% (Inuit and Greenland-born whites), Danish and others 12% (2000) | Europeans, Cocos Malays |
Exchange rates | Danish kroner per US dollar - 5.4797 (2007), 5.9468 (2006), 5.9969 (2005), 5.9911 (2004), 6.5877 (2003) | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001), 1.7248 (2000) |
Executive branch | chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Soren MOLLER (since April 2005)
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 results: Hans ENOKSEN reelected prime minister note: government coalition - Siumut and Inuit Ataqatigiit |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator (nonresident) Evan WILLIAMS (since 1 November 2003) cabinet: NA elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia |
Exports | 149.1 bbl/day (2004) | NA |
Exports - commodities | fish and fish products 94% (prawns 63%) | copra |
Exports - partners | Denmark 67.1%, Japan 12.1%, China 5.6% (2006) | Australia |
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 | the flag of Australia is used |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - real growth rate | 2% (2005 est.) | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 72 00 N, 40 00 W | 12 30 S, 96 50 E |
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 | islands are thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation |
Highways | - | total: 15 km
paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (2003) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
- |
Imports | 4,013 bbl/day (2004) | NA |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, petroleum products | foodstuffs |
Imports - partners | Denmark 69.9%, Sweden 16.3%, Norway 3.7% (2006) | Australia |
Independence | none (extensive self-rule as part of the Kingdom of Denmark; foreign affairs is the responsibility of Denmark, but Greenland actively participates in international agreements relating to Greenland) | none (territory of Australia) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | - |
Industries | fish processing (mainly shrimp and Greenland halibut); gold, niobium, tantalite, uranium, iron and diamond mining; handicrafts, hides and skins, small shipyards | copra products and tourism |
Infant mortality rate | total: 14.98 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 16.32 deaths/1,000 live births female: 13.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1% (2005 est.) | - |
International organization participation | Arctic Council, NC, NIB, UPU | none |
Irrigated land | NA | 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; Magistrate's Court |
Labor force | 32,120 (2004) | NA |
Labor force - by occupation | - | the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society Ltd. employs construction workers, stevedores, and lighterage workers; tourism employs others |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001) |
Languages | Greenlandic (East Inuit), Danish, English | Malay (Cocos dialect), English |
Legal system | the laws of Denmark, where applicable, apply | based upon the laws of Australia and local laws |
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 15 November 2005 (next to be held by December 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - Siumut 30.7%, Demokratiit 22.8%, IA 22.6%, Atassut Party 19.1%; Katusseqatigiit 4.1%, other 0.7%; seats by party - Siumut 10, Demokratiit 7, IA 7, Atassut 6, Katusseqatigiit 1 note: two representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament or Folketing on 13 November 2007 (next to be held in November 2011); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Siumut 1, Inuit Ataqatigiit 1 |
unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council (7 seats)
elections: held every two years with half the members standing for election; last held NA |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 70.23 years
male: 66.65 years female: 73.9 years (2007 est.) |
total population: NA
male: NA female: NA |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (2001 est.) |
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Location | Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada | Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway from Australia to Sri Lanka |
Map references | Arctic Region | Southeast Asia |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,422 GRT/2,340 DWT
by type: cargo 1, passenger 1 registered in other countries: 1 (Denmark 1) (2007) |
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Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Denmark | defense is the responsibility of Australia; the territory does have a five-person police force |
National holiday | June 21 (longest day) | Australia Day, 26 January (1788) |
Nationality | noun: Greenlander(s)
adjective: Greenlandic |
noun: Cocos Islander(s)
adjective: Cocos Islander |
Natural hazards | continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island | cyclone season is October to April |
Natural resources | coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, molybdenum, diamonds, gold, platinum, niobium, tantalite, uranium, fish, seals, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas | fish |
Net migration rate | -8.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) | NA |
Political parties and leaders | Atassut Party (Solidarity) [Finn KARLSEN] (a conservative party favoring continuing close relations with Denmark); Demokratiit [Per BERTHELSEN]; Inuit Ataqatigiit or IA (Eskimo Brotherhood) [Josef MOTZFELDT] (a leftist party favoring complete independence from Denmark rather than home rule); Kattusseqatigiit (Candidate List) (an independent right-of-center party with no official platform); Siumut (Forward Party) [Hans ENOKSEN] (a social democratic party advocating more distinct Greenlandic identity and greater autonomy from Denmark) | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | none |
Population | 56,344 (July 2007 est.) | 628 (July 2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | - |
Population growth rate | -0.03% (2007 est.) | 0% (2005 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Port Refuge |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 5, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2004) |
Religions | Evangelical Lutheran | Sunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002 est.) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.16 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female total population: 1.115 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
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Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | NA |
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: country code - 299; satellite earth stations - 12 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 2 Americom GE-2 (all Atlantic Ocean) (2000) |
general assessment: connected within Australia's telecommunication system
domestic: NA international: country code - 61-891; telephone, telex, and facsimile communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite; 1 satellite earth station of NA type (2002) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 25,300 (2002) | 287 (1992) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 32,200 (2004) | note - analog cellular service available |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (plus some local low-power stations, and 3 Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS) stations (1997) | NA |
Terrain | flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow, mountainous, barren, rocky coast | flat, low-lying coral atolls |
Total fertility rate | 2.4 children born/woman (2007 est.) | NA |
Unemployment rate | 9.3% (2005 est.) | 60% (2000 est.) |