25 interesting facts about Greenland

The huge island of Greenland, although inhabited for a long time, has not yet been studied very well. Most of it is covered by glaciers, and people live mainly on the coast, and they have to survive in really harsh conditions. The culture that has formed here seems surprisingly interesting and at the same time rational – everything in it is created in order to exist in conditions of an almost permanent winter.

Facts about Greenland

1. Among all the islands of the world, it is the largest.
2. Until 1900, it was also believed that Greenland was also the northernmost island in the world. Later geographical surveys have shown that this is not so.
3. De jure, Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, but in practice the island is completely self-governing (interesting facts about Denmark).
4. On Greenland is home to less than 60,000 people. About a third of the total population lives in the capital, Nuuk.
5. The prices here are high for almost everything, because almost everything that can be found in local stores is delivered here from other countries. Any alcohol is especially expensive.
6. Glaciers occupy more than 80% of the entire territory of Greenland.
7. Scientists say that about 500 years ago there was much less ice here. Most likely, later they will melt again, at least partially.
8. Some Greenland glaciers move at a speed of up to 30-40 meters per day.
9. The area of ​​Greenland is almost 50 times the area of ​​Denmark, to which it nominally belongs.
10. The first Europeans to settle in these harsh lands were the Vikings who arrived from Iceland.
11. The thickness of the ice sheet in the center of Greenland reaches 3 kilometers.
12. If all the Greenland glaciers melt, the level of the world ocean will rise, according to various estimates, by 6-7 meters. Of course, provided that the excess water does not freeze somewhere else, for example, in Antarctica (interesting facts about Antarctica).
13. In summer it is warm here, the temperature sometimes reaches +20, albeit infrequently. But frosts of -50 degrees in winter will not surprise anyone.
14. The largest national park in the world is located in Greenland, its area is only slightly less than 1 million square kilometers.
15. Greenland is the official language along with Danish.
16. There is only one fountain in all of Greenland. He works in the summer, for several months, as long as it is warm enough for this.
17. Every year, the Ice Golf World Championship takes place in these parts. This is the same golf, but with ice instead of a lawn.
18. The northern lights in Greenland can be observed on average 8 months a year (interesting facts about the northern lights).
19. The population density in Greenland is the lowest in the world. There are about 0.027 people per 1 square kilometer of the country’s area.
20. Most of the houses here are very bright and colorful. This makes the monotonous local landscapes more positive.
21. Archaeologists have established that the first people appeared in Greenland about 4500 years ago.
22. Greenland does not have its own currency. The locals use Danish kroner. Once a record low temperature of -70 degrees was recorded here.
23. The northernmost ferry crossing in the world is located in the Greenlandic city of Upernavik.
24. Local laws prohibit photographing Greenlanders without their consent.
25. Different cities of Greenland are connected only by water and air. But there are no roads or railways between them at all.