Environment - current issues:
protection of the arctic environment; preservation of the Inuit
traditional way of life, including whaling and seal hunting
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
People Greenland
Population:
56,385 (July 2003 est.)
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.)
Median age:
total: 33.1 years
male: 34.3 years
female: 31.7 years (2002)
Population growth rate:
0.01% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:
16.09 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:
7.66 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:
-8.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)