Greenland is the world's largest island,[d] located between the Arctic

and Atlantic oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Greenland

is an autonomous territory[11] within the Kingdom of Denmark.
Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America,
Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe
(specifically Norway and Denmark, the colonial powers) for more than a
millennium, beginning in 986.[12] The majority of its residents are Inuit,
whose ancestors migrated from Alaska through Northern Canada,
gradually settling across the island by the 13th century.
Today, the population is concentrated mainly on the southwest coast, while
the rest of the island is sparsely populated. Greenland is divided into five
municipalities – Sermersooq, Kujalleq, Qeqertalik, Qeqqata, and Avannaata. It
has two unincorporated areas – the Northeast Greenland National Park and
the Thule Air Base. The latter, while under Danish control, is administered by
the United States Air Force. Three-quarters of Greenland is covered by the
only permanent ice sheet outside of Antarctica. With a population of 56,081
(2020), it is the least densely populated region in the world. About a third of
the population lives in Nuuk, the capital and largest city; the second-largest
city in terms of population is Sisimiut, 320 kilometres (200 mi) north of Nuuk.
The Arctic Umiaq Line ferry acts as a lifeline for western Greenland,
connecting the various cities and settlements.
HISTORY
• Greenland was home to many Paleo-Eskimo people in prehistoric times, with the first
settlement in the area occurring around 2500 BC. Around 986 AD, the west coast of
Greenland was settled by Norwegians and Icelanders through the arrival of 14 boats led
by Erik the Red. This group created three settlements known as the Eastern Settlement,
the Western Settlement and the Ivittuut, or Middle Settlement, on fjords. The island
was shared with the late Dorset culture and the Thule culture to the north.
• The settlements thrived for a long time but eventually disappeared in the 1400s, likely
due to the declining temperatures with the onset of the Little Ice Age, famine and
increasing conflicts with the local Inuit peoples.
• In 1500, King Manuel I of Portugal sent an explorer, Corte-Real, to Greenland looking for
a Northwest Passage to Asia. Corte-Real found the sea frozen and headed south,
arriving in Newfoundland and Labrador and supplying new information about
Greenland's southern coastline.
• In the early 17th century, King Christian IV of Denmark sent expeditions to Greenland to
find the lost eastern Norse settlement and reestablish Danish sovereignty over the
island. The expeditions were largely unsuccessful. While the Norse settlements died off
and the area came under the control of the Inuit groups, Denmark never relinquished its
claims to the island that it inherited from the Norwegians, asserting its sovereignty over
the island in the 18th century.
• The Treaty of Kiel in 1814 dissolved the union between Norway and Denmark and
Norway occupied the eastern coast of Greenland as Erik the Red's Land in 1931.
Denmark was occupied by Nazi Germany in 1940, severing the island's connection to
Denmark. A year later, the United States occupied the island to defend it from invasion
from Germany, and this occupation continued until 1945.
• The U.S. was allowed to re-establish its air base on the island in 1950 and its colonial
status ended when the island was incorporated as a country in 1953, which gave Danish
citizenship to Greenlanders. Greenlanders were recognized as separate people under
international law in 2009.
Tourism
• Tourism increased significantly between 2010 and 2019, with the number of
visitors increasing from 460,000 per year to 2 million. Condé Nast Traveler
describes that high level as "overtourism". One source estimated that in
2019 the revenue from this aspect of the economy was about 450 million
kroner (US$67 million). Like many aspects of the economy, this slowed
dramatically in 2020, and into 2021, due to restrictions required as a result
of the COVID-19 pandemic; one source describes it as being the "biggest
economic victim of the coronavirus". (The overall economy did not suffer
too severely as of mid 2020, thanks to the fisheries "and a hefty subsidy
from Copenhagen".) Visitors will begin arriving again in late 2020 or early
2021. Greenland's goal is to develop it "right" and to "build a more
sustainable tourism for the long run"
Geography of Greenland
Greenland is located between the Arctic
Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean,
northeast of Canada and northwest of
Iceland. The territory comprises the
island of Greenland—the largest island in
the world—and more than a hundred
other smaller islands (see alphabetic
list). As an island, Greenland has no land
boundaries and 44,087 km of coastline.
A sparse population is confined to small
settlements along certain sectors of the
coast. Greenland possesses the world's
second largest ice sheet.
• Greenland sits atop the Greenland plate, a subplate of the North American plate. The
Greenland craton is made up of some of the oldest rocks on the face of the earth. The
Isua greenstone belt in southwestern Greenland contains the oldest known rocks on
Earth, dated at 3.7–3.8 billion years old.
• The vegetation is generally sparse, with the only patch of forested land being found in
Nanortalik Municipality in the extreme south near Cape Farewell.
• The climate is arctic to subarctic, with cool summers and cold winters. The terrain is
mostly a flat but gradually sloping icecap that covers all land except for a narrow,
mountainous, barren, rocky coast. The lowest elevation is sea level and the highest
elevation is the summit of Gunnbjørn Fjeld, the highest point in the Arctic at 3,694
meters (12,119 ft). The northernmost point of the island of Greenland is Cape Morris
Jesup, discovered by Admiral Robert Peary in 1900. Natural resources include zinc, lead,
iron ore, coal, molybdenum, gold, platinum, uranium, hydropower and fish.
Area
• Total area: 2,166,086 km2
• Land area: 2,166,086 km2 (410,449 km2 ice-free, 1,755,637 km2 ice-
covered)
• Maritime claims:
• Territorial sea: 3 nautical miles (5.6 km; 3.5 mi)
• Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nautical miles (370.4 km; 230.2 mi)
Land use
• Arable land: approximately 6%; some land is used to grow silage.
• Permanent crops: Approximately 0%
• Other: 100% (2012 est.)
• The total population comprises around 56,000 inhabitants, of whom
approximately 18,000 live in the capital, Nuuk.
Climate
Greenland's climate is a tundra climate on and near the coasts and an ice cap climate in inland
areas. It typically has short, cool summers and long, moderately cold winters.
Due to Gulf Stream influences, Greenland's winter temperatures are very mild for its latitude. In
Nuuk, the capital, average winter temperatures are only −9 °C (16 °F).[5] In comparison, the
average winter temperatures for Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada, are around −27 °C (−17 °F).[6]
Conversely, summer temperatures are very low, with an average high around 10 °C (50 °F).[5] This
is too low to sustain trees, and the land is treeless tundra.
On the Greenland ice sheet, the temperature is far below freezing throughout the year,[7] and
record high temperatures have peaked only slightly above freezing. The record high temperature
at Summit Camp is 2.2 °C (36.0 °F).[8]
In the far south of Greenland, there is a very small forest in the Qinngua Valley, due to summer
temperatures being barely high enough to sustain trees. There are mountains over 1,500 metres
(4,900 ft) high surrounding the valley, which protect it from cold, fast winds travelling across the
ice sheet.[9] It is the only natural forest in Greenland, but is only 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) long.
CLIMATE
 hideClimate data for Nuuk
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 13.5 13.0 13.2 14.6 18.3 23.8 26.3 25.1 23.8 19.9 15.8 13.2 26.3
(56.3) (55.4) (55.8) (58.3) (64.9) (74.8) (79.3) (77.2) (74.8) (67.8) (60.4) (55.8) (79.3)
Average high °C (°F) −5.6 −6.3 −6.8 −1.4 3.4 7.7 10.2 10.4 6.3 1.8 −1.1 −3.4 1.3
(21.9) (20.7) (19.8) (29.5) (38.1) (45.9) (50.4) (50.7) (43.3) (35.2) (30.0) (25.9) (34.3)
Daily mean °C (°F) −8.2 −9.1 −9.2 −3.6 0.8 4.4 6.8 7.3 3.7 −0.3 −3.4 −5.8 −1.4
(17.2) (15.6) (15.4) (25.5) (33.4) (39.9) (44.2) (45.1) (38.7) (31.5) (25.9) (21.6) (29.5)
Average low °C (°F) −10.4 −11.5 −11.4 −5.7 −2.5 1.7 3.8 4.0 2.8 −2.1 −5.4 −8 −3.7
(13.3) (11.3) (11.5) (21.7) (27.5) (35.1) (38.8) (39.2) (37.0) (28.2) (22.3) (18) (25.3)
Record low °C (°F) −32.5 −29.6 −27.5 −30.0 −19.0 −10.3 −6.6 −4.7 −8.2 −16.6 −24.4 −25.2 −32.5
(−26.5) (−21.3) (−17.5) (−22.0) (−2.2) (13.5) (20.1) (23.5) (17.2) (2.1) (−11.9) (−13.4) (−26.5)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 54.7 51.1 49.1 45.6 56.5 60.6 81.3 89.1 90.2 66.5 75.2 62.0 781.6
(2.15) (2.01) (1.93) (1.80) (2.22) (2.39) (3.20) (3.51) (3.55) (2.62) (2.96) (2.44) (30.77)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 13.8 12.7 15.1 13.2 13.0 10.5 12.5 12.5 14.1 13.5 14.3 14.4 159.6
mm)
Average snowy days 13.6 12.1 14.5 11.4 9.4 2.8 0.1 0.2 4.3 9.8 12.7 13.8 104.7
Average relative humidity (%) 78 79 81 81 84 84 87 87 83 78 76 77 81
Mean monthly sunshine hours 15.5 65.0 148.8 180.0 189.1 204.0 195.3 164.3 141.0 80.6 30.0 6.2 1,419.8
Mean daily sunshine hours 0.5 2.3 4.8 6.0 6.1 6.8 6.3 5.3 4.7 2.6 1.0 0.2 3.9
CLIMATE CHANGES
• The Greenland ice sheet is 3 kilometers (1.9 mi) thick and broad enough to blanket an
area the size of Mexico. The ice is so massive that its weight presses the bedrock of
Greenland below sea level and is so all-concealing that not until recently did scientists
discover Greenland's Grand Canyon or the possibility that Greenland might actually be
three islands.
• If the ice melted, the interior bedrock below sea level would be covered by water. It is
not clear whether this water would be at sea level or a lake above sea level. If it would
be at sea level it could connect to the sea at Ilulissat Icefjord, in Baffin Bay and near
Nordostrundingen, creating three large islands. But it is most likely that it would be a
lake with one drain.
• It is thought that before the last Ice Age, Greenland had mountainous edges and a
lowland (and probably very dry) center which drained to the sea via one big river
flowing out westwards, past where Disko Island is now.[citation needed]
CLIMATE CHANGES
• There is concern about sea level rise caused by ice loss (melt and glaciers falling into the sea)
on Greenland. Between 1997 and 2003 ice loss was 68–92 km3/a (16–22 cu mi/a), compared
to about 60 km3/a (14 cu mi/a) for 1993/4-1998/9. Half of the increase was from higher
summer melting, with the rest caused by the movements of some glaciers exceeding the
speeds needed to balance upstream snow accumulation.[15] A complete loss of ice on
Greenland would cause a sea level rise of as much as 6.40 meters (21.0 ft).
• Researchers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the University of Kansas reported in
February 2006 that the glaciers are melting twice as fast as they were five years ago. By 2005,
Greenland was beginning to lose more ice volume than anyone expected – an annual loss of
up to 52 cubic miles or 217 cubic kilometres per year, according to more recent satellite
gravity measurements released by JPL. The increased ice loss may be partially offset by
increased snow accumulation due to increased precipitation.
• Between 1991 and 2006, monitoring of the weather at one location (Swiss Camp) found that
the average winter temperature had risen almost 10 °F (5.6 °C).
CLIAMTE CHANGES
• Recently, Greenland's three largest outlet glaciers have started moving faster,
satellite data show. These are the Jakobshavn Isbræ at Ilulissat on the western edge
of Greenland, and the Kangerdlugssuaq and Helheim glaciers on the eastern edge of
Greenland. The two latter accelerated greatly during the years 2004–2005, but
returned to pre-2004 velocities in 2006.[16] The accelerating ice flow has been
accompanied by a dramatic increase in seismic activity. In March 2006, researchers
at Harvard University and the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia
University reported that the glaciers now generate swarms of earthquakes up to
magnitude 5.0.[13]
• The retreat of Greenland's ice is revealing islands that were thought to be part of the
mainland. In September 2005 Dennis Schmitt discovered an island 400 miles (644
km) north of the Arctic Circle in eastern Greenland which he named Uunartoq
Qeqertaq, Inuit for "warming island".
Future projections
In the Arctic, temperatures are rising faster than anywhere else in the
world. Greenland is losing 200 billion tonnes of ice per year. Research
suggests that this could increase the sea levels' rise by 30 centimeters
by the end of the century. These projections have the possibility of
changing as satellite data only dates back to 40 years ago. This means
that researchers must view old photographs of glaciers and compare
them to ones taken today to determine the future of Greenland's ice.
Territory of Greenland
• Northernmost point — Kaffeklubben Island (83°40'N) – the
northernmost permanent land in the world. There are also some
shifting gravel bars that lie north of Kaffeklubben, the most famous
being Oodaaq.
• Southernmost point — unnamed islet 2.3 km south of Cape Farewell,
Egger Island (59°44'N)
• Westernmost point — Nordvestø, Carey Islands (73°10'W)
• Easternmost point — Nordostrundingen, Greenland (11°19'W)
• Highest point — Gunnbjørn Fjeld, 3,694 meters (12,119 ft)
Mainland Greenland
• Northernmost point — Cape Morris Jesup (83°39'N)
• Southernmost point — Peninsula near Nanortalik (60°08′31″N)
• Westernmost point — Cape Alexander (73°08'W)
• Easternmost point — Nordostrundingen, Greenland (11°19'W)
• Highest point — Gunnbjørn Fjeld, 3,694 meters (12,119 ft).
Biodiversity
• Greenland is home to two ecoregions: Kalaallit Nunaat
high arctic tundra and Kalaallit Nunaat low arctic tundra.
There are approximately 700 known species of insects in
Greenland, which is low compared with other countries
(over one million species have been described worldwide).
The sea is rich in fish and invertebrates, especially in the
milder West Greenland Current; a large part of the
Greenland fauna is associated with marine-based food
chains, including large colonies of seabirds. The few native
land mammals in Greenland include the polar bear,
reindeer (introduced by Europeans), arctic fox, arctic hare,
musk ox, collared lemming, ermine, and arctic wolf. The
last four are found naturally only in East Greenland, having
immigrated from Ellesmere Island. There are dozens of
species of seals and whales along the coast. Land fauna
consists predominantly of animals which have spread from
North America or, in the case of many birds and insects,
from Europe. There are no native or free-living reptiles or
amphibians on the island.
• Phytogeographically, Greenland belongs to the Arctic province of the Circumboreal
Region within the Boreal Kingdom. The island is sparsely populated in vegetation;
plant life consists mainly of grassland and small shrubs, which are regularly grazed by
livestock. The most common tree native to Greenland is the European white birch
(Betula pubescens) along with gray-leaf willow (Salix glauca), rowan (Sorbus
aucuparia), common juniper (Juniperus communis) and other smaller trees, mainly
willows.
• Greenland's flora consists of about 500 species of "higher" plants, i.e. flowering
plants, ferns, horsetails and lycopodiophyta. Of the other groups, the lichens are the
most diverse, with about 950 species; there are 600–700 species of fungi; mosses and
bryophytes are also found. Most of Greenland's higher plants have circumpolar or
circumboreal distributions; only a dozen species of saxifrage and hawkweed are
endemic. A few plant species were introduced by the Norsemen, such as cow vetch.
• The terrestrial vertebrates of Greenland include the Greenland dog, which was
introduced by the Inuit, as well as European-introduced species such as Greenlandic
sheep, goats, cattle, reindeer, horse, chicken and sheepdog, all descendants of
animals imported by Europeans.[citation needed] Marine mammals include the
hooded seal (Cystophora cristata) as well as the grey seal (Halichoerus grypus).
Whales frequently pass very close to Greenland's shores in the late summer and early
autumn. Whale species include the beluga whale, blue whale, Greenland whale, fin
whale, humpback whale, minke whale, narwhal, pilot whale, sperm whale.
• As of 2009, 269 species of fish from over 80 different families are known from the
waters surrounding Greenland. Almost all are marine species with only a few in
freshwater, notably Atlantic salmon and charr.[102] The fishing industry is the primary
industry of Greenland's economy, accounting for the majority of the country's total
exports
• Birds, particularly seabirds, are an
important part of Greenland's animal life;
breeding populations of auks, puffins,
skuas, and kittiwakes are found on steep
mountainsides.Greenland's ducks and
geese include common eider, long-tailed
duck, king eider, white-fronted goose, pink-
footed goose and barnacle goose. Breeding
migratory birds include the snow bunting,
lapland bunting, ringed plover, red-
throated loon and red-necked phalarope.
Non-migratory land birds include the arctic
redpoll, ptarmigan, short-eared owl, snowy
owl, gyrfalcon and white-tailed eagle.
Economy
• The Greenlandic economy is highly dependent on fishing. Fishing accounts for
more than 90% of Greenland's exports. The shrimp and fish industry is by far
the largest income earner.
• Greenland is abundant in minerals.Mining of ruby deposits began in 2007.
Other mineral prospects are improving as prices are increasing. These include
iron, uranium, aluminium, nickel, platinum, tungsten, titanium, and copper.
Despite resumption[when?] of several hydrocarbon and mineral exploration
activities, it will take several years before hydrocarbon production can
materialize. The state oil company Nunaoil was created to help develop the
hydrocarbon industry in Greenland. The state company Nunamineral has been
launched on the Copenhagen Stock Exchange to raise more capital to increase
the production of gold, started in 2007.
GDP GRAPH
• The Gross Domestic Product
(GDP) in Greenland was worth
3.05 billion US dollars in 2018,
according to official data from
the World Bank and projections
from Trading Economics. The
GDP value of Greenland
represents less than 0.01 percent
of the world economy
• Electricity has traditionally been generated by oil
or diesel power plants, even if there is a large
surplus of potential hydropower. There is a
programme to build hydro power plants. The first,
and still the largest, is Buksefjord hydroelectric
power plant.
• There are also plans to build a large aluminium
smelter, using hydropower to create an exportable
product. It is expected that much of the labour
needed will be imported.
• The European Union has urged Greenland to
restrict People's Republic of China development of
rare-earth projects, as China accounts for 95% of
the world's current supply. In early 2013, the
Greenland government said that it had no plans to
impose such restrictions
Graphical depiction of Greenland's product exports
in 28 colour-coded categories
• The public sector, including publicly owned enterprises and the municipalities,
plays a dominant role in Greenland's economy. About half the government
revenues come from grants from the Danish government, an important
supplement to the gross domestic product (GDP). Gross domestic product per
capita is equivalent to that of the average economies of Europe.
• Greenland suffered an economic contraction in the early 1990s. But, since 1993,
the economy has improved. The Greenland Home Rule Government (GHRG) has
pursued a tight fiscal policy since the late 1980s, which has helped create
surpluses in the public budget and low inflation. Since 1990, Greenland has
registered a foreign-trade deficit following the closure of the last remaining lead
and zinc mine that year. In 2017, new sources of ruby in Greenland have been
discovered, promising to bring new industry and a new export from the country.
HOUSEHOLD CONSUMPTION
• Households and NPISHs Final
consumption expenditure per capita
growth (annual %) in Greenland was
reported at 1.36 % in 2018, according
to the World Bank collection of
development indicators, compiled
from officially recognized sources.
Greenland - Household final
consumption expenditure per capita
growth (annual %) - actual values,
historical data, forecasts and
projections were sourced from the
World Bank on June of 2021.
Transport

• There is air transport both within Greenland and between the island and other nations.
There is also scheduled boat traffic, but the long distances lead to long travel times and
low frequency. There are virtually no roads between cities because the coast has many
fjords that would require ferry service to connect a road network. The only exception is
a gravel road of 5 km (3 mi) length between Kangilinnguit and the now abandoned
former cryolite mining town of Ivittuut.In addition, the lack of agriculture, forestry and
similar countryside activities has meant that very few country roads have been built.

• Kangerlussuaq Airport (SFJ) is the largest airport and the main aviation hub for
international passenger transport. It serves international and domestic airline operated
flight.SFJ is far from the vicinity of the larger metropolitan capital areas, 317 km (197 mi)
to the capital Nuuk, and airline passenger services are available. Greenland has no
passenger railways.
AIRPORT
• Nuuk Airport (GOH) [129] is the second-largest
airport located just 6.0 km (3.7 mi) from the
centre of the capital. GOH serves general
aviation traffic and has daily- or regular
domestic flights within Greenland. GOH also
serves international flights to Iceland, business
and private airplanes.
• Ilulissat Airport (JAV) [130] is a domestic
airport that also serves international flights to
Iceland. There are a total of 13 registered civil
airports and 47 helipads in Greenland; most of
them are unpaved and located in rural areas.
The second longest runway is at Narsarsuaq, a
domestic airport with limited international
service in south Greenland.
• All civil aviation matters are handled by the Danish Transport Authority. Most airports
including Nuuk Airport have short runways and can only be served by special fairly
small aircraft on fairly short flights. Kangerlussuaq Airport around 100 kilometres (62
miles) inland from the west coast is the major airport of Greenland and the hub for
domestic flights. Intercontinental flights connect mainly to Copenhagen. Travel
between international destinations (except Iceland) and any city in Greenland requires
a plane change.
• Icelandair operates flights from Reykjavík to a number of airports in Greenland, and
the company promotes the service as a day-trip option from Iceland for tourists.
• There are no direct flights to the United States or Canada, although there have been
flights Kangerlussuaq – Baltimore, and Nuuk – Iqaluit,[133] which were cancelled
because of too few passengers and financial losses.[134] An alternative between
Greenland and the United States/Canada is Icelandair with a plane change in Iceland.
PORTS
• Sea passenger transport is served
by several coastal ferries. Arctic
Umiaq Line makes a single round
trip per week, taking 80 hours each
direction.
• Cargo freight by sea is handled by
the shipping company Royal Arctic
Line from, to and across Greenland.
It provides trade and transport
opportunities between Greenland,
Europe and North America.
EXPORT AND IMPORT

• Exports of goods and services (% of

GDP) in Greenland was reported at
40.83 % in 2018, according to the
World Bank collection of
development indicators, compiled
from officially recognized sources.
Greenland - Exports of goods and
services (% of GDP) - actual values,
historical data, forecasts and
projections were sourced from the
World Bank on June of 2021.
Total fisheries production
• Total fisheries production (metric
tons) in Greenland was reported at
371742 metric tons in 2018,
according to the World Bank
collection of development
indicators, compiled from officially
recognized sources. Greenland -
Total fisheries production (metric
tons) - actual values, historical data,
forecasts and projections were
sourced from the World Bank on
June of 2021.
POPULATION

Population Rank 209

Growth Rate 0.16% (186th)

World Percentage 0.00%

Density 0/km² (232nd)

Land Area 410,450 km²

• The current population
of Greenland is 56,877 base
d on projections of the latest
United Nations data. The UN
estimates the July
1, 2021 population
at 56,877.
MALE TO FEMALE RATIO
• 0–6 years: 5,605 (male 2,893; female
2,712)
• 7–14 years: 6,531 (male 3,316;
female 3,215)
• 15–17 years: 2,462 (male 1,243;
female 1,219)
• 18–24 years: 6,491 (male 3,293;
female 3,198)
• 25–64 years: 31,128 (male 16,960;
female 14,168)
• 65- years: 4,153 (male 2,133; female
2,020)
Languages
• The only official language of Greenland is Greenlandic.[8] The number
of speakers of Greenlandic is estimated at 50,000 (85-90% of the total
population), divided in three main dialects, Kalaallisut (West-
Greenlandic, 44,000 speakers and the dialect that is used as official
language), Tunumiit (East-Greenlandic, 3,000 speakers) and Inuktun
(North-Greenlandic, 800 speakers). The remainder of the population
mainly speaks Danish; Inuit Sign Language is the language of the deaf
community.
Religion
• The nomadic Inuit people were traditionally shamanistic, with a well-developed mythology primarily
concerned with propitiating a vengeful and fingerless sea goddess who controlled the success of the seal and
whale hunts.
• The first Norse colonists were pagan, but Erik the Red's son Leif was converted to Catholic Christianity by King
Olaf Trygvesson on a trip to Norway in 990 and sent missionaries back to Greenland. These swiftly established
sixteen parishes, some monasteries, and a bishopric at Garðar.
• Rediscovering these colonists and spreading the Protestant Reformation among them was one of the primary
reasons for the Danish recolonization in the 18th century. Under the patronage of the Royal Mission College in
Copenhagen, Norwegian and Danish Lutherans and German Moravian missionaries searched for the missing
Norse settlements and began converting the Inuit. The principal figures in the Christianization of Greenland
were Hans and Poul Egede and Matthias Stach. The New Testament was translated piecemeal from the time of
the very first settlement on Kangeq Island, but the first translation of the whole Bible was not completed until
1900. An improved translation using the modern orthography was completed in 2000.
• Today, the major religion is Protestant Christianity, mostly members of the Lutheran Church of Denmark. While
there is no official census data on religion in Greenland, the Lutheran Bishop of Greenland Sofie Petersen
estimates that 85% of the Greenlandic population are members of its congregation