Greenland

Greenland is a large island land mass in the Arctic Ocean, and is the largest island in the world. Founded by Vikings around 980 AD, it was also settled by the Thule Inuit people about 200 years later. The latter ethnic group becoming the majority by 2020 with about 88% of the population. The Thule Inuit settlers and the indigenous European people have lived peacefully for centuries. Greenland is an autonomous province of Denmark and was granted Home Rule in 1979, though still retains the status of a dependency of Denmark. As part of Denmark, Greenland had become part of the European Economic Community (forerunner of the European Union) upon Denmark's accession in 1973 (although the majority of Greenland's population had opposed joining). Following Home Rule, a referendum was held and Greenland withdrew from the EEC in 1985.

Greenland's weather is rather inhospitable due to the freezing temperatures - in fact, 81% of the island is covered by ice caps. [1]

The capital Nuuk, is known in the Danish language as Godthåb. Nearly a quarter of Greenland's population resides there. (As of 2007, Greenland's population was estimated at about 56,000.)