Saint Helena (2001) | Greenland (2001) | |
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Administrative divisions | 1 administrative area and 2 dependencies*; Ascension*, Saint Helena, Tristan da Cunha* | 3 districts (landsdele); Avannaa (Nordgronland), Tunu (Ostgronland), Kitaa (Vestgronland)
note: there are 18 municipalities in Greenland |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
19.08% (male 699; female 687) 15-64 years: 71.72% (male 2,711; female 2,500) 65 years and over: 9.2% (male 286; female 383) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years:
26.69% (male 7,649; female 7,392) 15-64 years: 67.87% (male 20,868; female 17,376) 65 years and over: 5.44% (male 1,385; female 1,682) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | corn, potatoes, vegetables; timber; fish, crawfish (on Tristan da Cunha) | forage crops, garden and greenhouse vegetables; sheep, reindeer; fish |
Airports | 1 (2000 est.) | 13 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
total:
8 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: 4 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total:
5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Area | total:
410 sq km land: 410 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes St. Helena Island, Ascension, and the island group of Tristan da Cunha, which consists of Tristan da Cunha Island, Gough Island, Inaccessible Island, and the three Nightingale Islands |
total:
2,175,600 sq km land: 2,175,600 sq km (341,700 sq km ice-free, 1,833,900 sq km ice-covered) (est.) |
Area - comparative | slightly more than two times the size of Washington, DC | slightly more than three times the size of Texas |
Background | Uninhabited when first discovered by the Portuguese in 1502, St. Helena was garrisoned by the British during the 17th century. It acquired fame as the place of Napoleon BONAPARTE's exile, from 1815 until his death in 1821, but its importance as a port of call declined after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. Ascension Island is the site of a US Air Force auxiliary airfield; Gough Island has a meteorological station. | The world's largest 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. |
Birth rate | 13.49 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 16.52 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$11.2 million expenditures: $11 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY92) |
revenues:
$646 million expenditures: $629 million, including capital expenditures of $85 million (1999) |
Capital | Jamestown | Nuuk (Godthab) |
Climate | Saint Helena - tropical; marine; mild, tempered by trade winds; Tristan da Cunha - temperate; marine, mild, tempered by trade winds (tends to be cooler than Saint Helena) | arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters |
Coastline | 60 km | 44,087 km |
Constitution | 1 January 1989 | 5 June 1953 (Danish constitution) |
Country name | conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Saint Helena |
conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Greenland local long form: none local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat |
Currency | Saint Helenian pound (SHP) | Danish krone (DKK) |
Death rate | 6.33 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 7.58 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | $25 million (1999) |
Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK | part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1979 |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $12.6 million (1995); note - $5.3 million from UK (1997) | $380 million subsidy from Denmark (1999) |
Economy - overview | The economy depends largely on financial assistance from the UK, which amounted to about $5 million in 1997 or almost one-half of annual budgetary revenues. The local population earns income from fishing, the raising of livestock, and sales of handicrafts. Because there are few jobs, 25% of the work force has left to seek employment on Ascension Island, on the Falklands, and in the UK. | 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. |
Electricity - consumption | 5.6 million kWh (1999) | 232.5 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 6 million kWh (1999) | 250 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
fossil fuel:
41% hydro: 59% nuclear: 0% other: 0% note: Greenland is shifting its electricity production from fossil fuel to hydroelectric power production (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,060 m |
lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Gunnbjorn 3,700 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | protection of the arctic environment; preservation of the Inuit traditional way of life, including whaling and seal hunting |
Ethnic groups | African descent 50%, white 25%, Chinese 25% | Greenlander 88% (Inuit and Greenland-born whites), Danish and others 12% (January 2000) |
Exchange rates | Saint Helenian pounds per US dollar - 0.6764 (January 2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6047 (1997), 0.6403 (1996); note - the Saint Helenian pound is at par with the British pound | Danish kroner per US dollar - 7.951 (January 2001), 8.083 (2000), 6.976 (1999), 6.701 (1998), 6.604 (1997), 5.799 (1996) |
Executive branch | chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Governor and Commander in Chief David HOLLAMBY (since NA June 1999) cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, two ex officio officers, and six elected members of the Legislative Council elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor is appointed by the monarch |
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 Jonathan MOTZFELDT (since 19 September 1997) cabinet: Home Rule Government is elected by the Parliament (Landstinget) on the basis of the strength of parties elections: the monarch is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by the monarch; prime minister is elected by Parliament (usually the leader of the majority party); election last held 16 February 1999 (next to be held NA February 2003) election results: Jonathan MOTZFELDT reelected prime minister following the 16 February 1999 elections; percent of parliamentary vote - 57.3% note: government coalition - Siumut and Inuit Ataqatigiit (IA) |
Exports | $704,000 (f.o.b., 1995) | $276 million (f.o.b., 1999) |
Exports - commodities | fish (frozen, canned, and salt-dried skipjack, tuna), coffee, handicrafts | fish and fish products 94% |
Exports - partners | South Africa, UK | EU (mainly Denmark) 85%, Japan 8%, US 2% (1999) |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | calendar year |
Flag description | blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Saint Helenian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield features a rocky coastline and three-masted sailing ship | 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 |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $18 million (1998 est.) | purchasing power parity - $1.1 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
NA% industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture:
NA% industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $2,500 (1998 est.) | purchasing power parity - $20,000 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 15 56 S, 5 42 W | 72 00 N, 40 00 W |
Geography - note | harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere else in the world; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles and sooty terns | 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 |
Highways | total:
158 km (Saint Helena 118 km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha 0 km) paved: 138 km (Saint Helena 98km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha 0 km) unpaved: NA km 20 km (Saint Helena 20 km, Ascension 0 km, Tristan da Cunha 0 km) |
total:
150 km paved: 60 km unpaved: 90 km |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | $14.434 million (c.i.f., 1995) | $400 million (c.i.f., 1999) |
Imports - commodities | food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed, building materials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and parts | machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, petroleum products |
Imports - partners | UK, South Africa | EU (mostly Denmark), Norway, US, Canada |
Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK) | 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 |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | construction, crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork), fishing | fish processing (mainly shrimp and Greenland halibut), handicrafts, furs, small shipyards |
Infant mortality rate | 22.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | 17.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.2% (1997 est.) | 1.6% (1999 est.) |
International organization participation | ICFTU | ICC, NC, NIB |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | 1 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court; Small Debts Court; Juvenile Court | High Court or Landsret (appeals can be made to the Ostre Landsret or Eastern Division of the High Court or Supreme Court in Copenhagen) |
Labor force | 3,500 (1998 est.)
note: 1,200 of whom are working offshore |
24,500 (1999 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture and fishing 6%, industry (mainly construction) 48%, services 46% (1987 est.) | - |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land:
6% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 6% forests and woodland: 6% other: 82% (1993 est.) |
arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 1% forests and woodland: 0% other: 99% (1998 est.) |
Languages | English | Greenlandic (East Inuit), Danish, English |
Legal system | NA | Danish |
Legislative branch | unicameral Legislative Council (15 seats, including the speaker, 3 ex officio and 12 elected members; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 9 July 1997 (next to be held NA August 2001) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 15 |
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 16 February 1999 (next to be held by NA February 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - Siumut 35.2%, Inuit Ataqatigiit 22.1%, Atassut Party 25.2%, Candidate's League 12.3%, independent 5.2%; seats by party - Siumut 11, Atassut 8, Inuit Ataqatigiit 7, Candidate List 4, independent 1 note: two representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament or Folketing on 11 March 1998 (next to be held by not later than March 2002); percent of vote by party - Siumut 35.6%, Atassut 35.2%; seats by party - Siumut 1, Atassut 1; Greenlandic representatives are affiliated with Danish political parties (Siamut with Social Democratic Party and Atassut with Liberal Party) |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
77.01 years male: 74.13 years female: 80.04 years (2001 est.) |
total population:
68.37 years male: 64.82 years female: 72.01 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 20 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 97% female: 98% (1987 est.) |
definition:
NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% note: similar to Denmark proper |
Location | islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about mid-way between South America and Africa | Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada |
Map references | Africa | Arctic Region |
Maritime claims | exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
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 |
Merchant marine | none (2000 est.) | total:
2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,289 GRT/1,500 DWT ships by type: cargo 1, passenger 1 (2000 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | defense is the responsibility of Denmark |
National holiday | Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926) | June 21 (longest day) |
Nationality | noun:
Saint Helenian(s) adjective: Saint Helenian |
noun:
Greenlander(s) adjective: Greenlandic |
Natural hazards | active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha | continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island |
Natural resources | fish | zinc, lead, iron ore, coal, molybdenum, gold, platinum, uranium, fish, seals, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | -8.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | none | Akulliit Party [Bjarne KREUTZMANN]; Atassut Party (Solidarity, a conservative party favoring continuing close relations with Denmark) [Daniel SKIFTE]; 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) [Jonathan MOTZFELDT] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | NA |
Population | 7,266 (July 2001 est.) | 56,352 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.72% (2001 est.) | 0.06% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Georgetown (on Ascension), Jamestown | Aasiaat (Egedesminde), Ilulissat (Jakobshavn), Kangerlussuaq, Nanortalik, Narsarsuaq, Nuuk (Godthab), Qaqortoq (Julianehab), Sisimiut (Holsteinsborg), Tasiilaq (March 2001) |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 5, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 3,000 (1997) | 30,000 (1998 est.) |
Railways | 0 km | 0 km |
Religions | Anglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic | Evangelical Lutheran |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
at birth:
1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.2 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 1.13 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | NA years of age | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment:
can communicate with any place in the world domestic: automatic network international: HF radiotelephone from Saint Helena to Ascension which is a major coaxial submarine cable relay point between South Africa, Portugal, and UK ; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
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) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 2,000 (1997) | 25,617 (end 1999) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 0 (1997) | 12,676 (end 1999) |
Television broadcast stations | 0 (1997) | 1 publicly-owned station, some local low-power stations, and three AFRTS (US Air Force) stations (1997) |
Terrain | Saint Helena - rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains
note: the other islands of the group have a volcanic origin |
flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow, mountainous, barren, rocky coast |
Total fertility rate | 1.53 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 2.44 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 14% (1998 est.) | 7% (1999 est.) |
Waterways | none | none |