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Greenland Home Rule Government
Greenland Home Rule, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
February 2000Contents
Home Rule in Greenland
Geography and the Natural Environment
Population
Flora and Fauna
Infrastructure
Greenland´s Recent History
The Run-up to Home Rule
Form of Government
The Danish State
The Danish Parliament (Folketinget)
Greenland Home Rule since 1979
Political Parties
Local Authorities
National Symbols
Law, the Courts and the Police
Foreign Affairs
Security Policy
The Economy and Business
Social Welfare and Health Care
From Child to Adult
Church and Culture
Greenland Home Rule - an Inspiration
Facts about GreenlandHome Rule in Greenland
Greenlanders, the Inuit, are an indigenous people who call their country Kalaallit Nunaat, which means the land of the people.
Unlike many other groups of indigenous people around the world, Greenlanders have largely managed to have their demands fulfilled concerning recognition as a separate people with the right to determine their own lives and future, the right to control the country to which they are linked both culturally and historically, as well as the right to be able to protect and develop their culture.
The indigenous people of Greenland call themselves Kalaallit,
which means human being and is a collective term for Inuit all over the world.
Geography and the Natural Environment
Greenland is the largest island in the world. It is situated on the North American continent and 85% of the country is covered by an ice cap. The climate is Arctic with average top temperatures of not more than 10ºC in the warmest month of the year. There is a big temperature difference between
the North and South of the country. Temperatures in the south average about 8-9ºC during the warmest summer month and drop to about minus 10-11ºC in the coldest winter month. In the North temperatures in the first three months of the year average around minus 30ºC rising to about 4-5ºC in July.
The Arctic Circle transects the country south of Sisimut (Holsteinborg) leaving a large part of the Greenland in continuous darkness in the winter and with midnight sun in the summer. In certain places glaciers from the ice cap, which covers most of the country, extend out to the fjords and the coast.
Large parts of the sea around Greenland freeze over for greater or shorter parts of the year. Normally it is only the western coast, between Sisimut and Paamiut (Frederikshåb), that remains free of ice all year round.
The world´s largest nature reserve, covering 972,000 km2, was established in the north and northeast of Greenland in 1974.
Population
The country´s indigenous people call themselves Kalaallit, or Inuit, and constitute around 85% of Greenland´s population. During colonial times a proportion of the Kalaallit intermarried with Europeans, many of whom were Danes, so today almost all Greenlanders can be sure of having European ancestry mixed with their indigenous background.
The 20th century saw great changes in the Greenlandic economy and in the geographic distribution of the population, some 80% of whom now live in towns. The population living in the settlements has remained relatively stable since the 1970´s at around a fifth of the population.
The first Eskimo immigrants arrived in Greenland around four to five thousand years ago. The last major wave of immigration (the Thule Culture) occurred in the centuries following the first Nordic migration from Iceland shortly before 1000 AD.
The official language of Greenland is West Greenlandic. However East Greenlanders, the Inughuit and people from Thule speak Eskimo dialects which differ from West Greenlandic.
Although Greenlandic is the official first language, Danish is also taught in schools in accordance with the Greenland Home Rule Act. Both Greenlandic and Danish can be used in official contexts.
Greenland has a population of 56,087 (January 1999) and the capital city, Nuuk, is home to about 13,500 inhabitants.
Around two thirds of the entire workforce are employed in the public service (Greenland Home Rule, local authorities and state institutions). This is because the public service, as well as providing social services, runs business and industry in the form of fully or partially state-owned limited companies within areas such as trade, transport, the fishing industry and technology.
A section of the adult population, between 15 and 75 years of age, is in full-time employment while others are part-time or seasonally employed. The official unemployment rate is 10%. The service sector employs around 45%
of the workforce. Fishing and the fishing industry are the mainstay of the Greenlandic economy, employing around 5,500 people.
Flora and Fauna
Greenland´s ecosystem is influenced by the Arctic climate: low temperatures, low humidity, long dark winters, short light summers, and permafrost. Plant growth is impeded by the cold climate and limited rainfall, and low temperatures and scarce food supplies combine to prevent Greenland being a good breeding ground for animals and livestock.
Some 500 species of wild plants are found in Greenland. The number of plant species varies greatly between the barren, cold wastelands of the high Arctic in the northern part of the country and the more fertile southern part, which is home to Greenland´s only birch forest. It is, however, impossible to grow corn here as it does not ripen. Vegetation consists mainly of mountain and tundra plants: mosses, lichen, heather, crowberry etc. and the little plant cultivation that exists is confined to the southwest.
While Arctic fauna is not as varied as in other parts of the world, animal
life, however, has always formed the basis for human existence in Greenland. Birds constitute by far the majority of species, about 210, while there are only about 125 species of fish. Mammals comprise 25 species of marine mammal and eight species of land mammal. Sledge dogs and imported mammals are
also found.
The most important land mammals are reindeer and musk ox. The polar bear is a sea mammal. Walruses, various species of seal and some whales are of great importance to the Greenlandic diet.
Of the 125 fish species, only a few are of any economic significance. These are, principally, cod, halibut, salmon and redfish which are caught for export and the domestic market. Of the varieties of shellfish found, shrimps, crabs and scallops are also harvested. Today shrimp fishing is of major significance for the Greenlandic economy.
Infrastructure
The Arctic climate, great distances and low population density are important and costly factors affecting the infrastructure of modern Greenland. At present airstrips are being built in many coastal towns in order to change the form of transport from sea to air. It is expected that in the future more regular aeroplanes will replace helicopters.
International airline services operate between Greenland and Denmark, Canada and Iceland. Greenlandic passenger traffic consists of air transportation by aeroplane and helicopter plus an extensive shipping network. This shipping network is brought to a standstill in northern Greenland during some of the winter months because of ice.
Freight is mainly transported to and from Greenland by ship. Most internal transport in Greenland is also by ship.
Mail is the responsibility of the Greenlandic postal service. Telecommunication is another important method of communication and includes radio, TV, telephone, fax, telex and computers etc.
Communication between Greenland and other countries is conducted via satellite. Internal telecommunications use radio and satellite.
Greenland´s Recent History
The turning point in Greenlandic history was the Second World War. From 1945 people began to question the concept of colony and economic policy in Greenland. Firstly, the Second World War brought new insight into the term ‘human rights´. A majority emerged in the UN which was critical of colonisation and demanded the registration of conditions in the colonies, while at the same time expressing a desire for their independence. This development led to international pressure on the colonial powers, including Denmark. Secondly, leading Greenlanders began to demand greater influence over their own affairs and social and economic development. Danish officials returning from Greenland backed up these demands for change.
During the Second World War, Greenland was cut off from Denmark and was kept in supplies by the United States. In 1941 the United States established bases and other military installations in Greenland following the Base Treaty of 1941, which was signed by the then Danish envoy in Washington. Denmark´s isolationist policy was thus breached. After the war, however, Greenland was again isolated for a short period.
The Greenland Commission was set up in 1948 following pressure from groups which included Greenlandic politicians and the Danish media. The Commission´s report, published in 1950 (G-50), led to comprehensive changes in Greenland policy.
In June 1953 Greenland´s colonial status was altered and the Danish Constitution was expanded to encompass the entire kingdom. Greenland would, in the not too distant future, find itself placed on an equal footing with Denmark, legally, economically etc.. Furthermore, Greenlanders could return two members to the Danish parliament to represent Greenland. In 1955 the Greenland department was separated from the Prime Minister´s Office and re-instituted as the Ministry of Greenland. The activities of the Royal Greenland Trade Company (KGH) and the newly-established Greenland Technical Organisation (GTO) increased dramatically. These initiatives were necessary if Greenland was to attain the standards of economic and cultural development prevalent in other parts of the Kingdom of Denmark.
The Greenland Assembly and other bodies felt, however, that the Danish initiatives were too insignificant and already in 1960 the Danish government established a new committee, the Greenland Committee 1960 (G-60). G-60´s brief was to strengthen efforts to make equality more effective.
The principal idea was a division of responsibility between the Danish state and Danish private capital. The state would be responsible for the social, educational and physical infrastructure, while the private sector would invest in production, primarily fishing and fish processing.
This new incentive led to a fundamental change in Greenlandic production and a new group of wage earners was created. However, the expected influx of Danish investment and know-how failed to materialise because of developments taking place in Denmark at that time.
G-60´s forced modernisation of Greenlandic society conflicted with many traditional Greenlandic values. Industrialisation, large-scale construction projects, the closure of settlements, concentration and modern infrastructure were all planned, built and run by Danes.
Although the aim was to develop Greenland for the benefit of Greenlanders, for some of them the G 60 policy represented a culture shock, which led to increasing social problems such as alcoholism and family breakdown.
The Run-up to Home Rule
Economic development led to a temporary, dramatic increase in the number of Danes in Greenland, both public servants and the self-employed. At the same time an educated Greenlandic elite, comprising teachers, journalists, social workers etc., began to emerge, most of whom had been educated in Denmark. It was this elite who noticed most acutely the discrimination against Greenlanders in the existing system. A controversial example was the Birth Place Criterion, which stated that a person born in Greenland would get a lower wage than a person who had been born in Denmark, despite the fact that they were doing the same job. The demand for greater independence for Greenland arose from this elite but quickly spread and gained support among broad sections of the Greenlandic population.
The background to the growing demand for political and economic self-determination was social development and the modernisation of Greenlandic society which had already taken place. This modernisation, controlled by the Danish authorities, had changed Greenland from a society of hunters into a modern society. The state continued to play an important role as the initiator and the economic guarantor for important parts of the social order, including industrial production.
The opposition was organised around the young Siumut (Forward) party, founded by three young Greenlandic politicians. The party´s demand was for home rule and through this, the ‘Greenlandisation´ of Greenlandic society. Those who wanted to maintain the union with Denmark united around a group of well-established Greenlandic politicians who later formed the Atassut (Liberal) party.
In 1972 the entire Kingdom of Denmark voted in a referendum on the country´s proposed membership of the European Economic Community (EEC). 70.3% of the electorate in Greenland voted against membership, but as home rule had not yet been introduced Greenland was obliged to follow Denmark into the EEC. The referendum result increased the Danish government´s sensitivity towards Greenlandic demands, and the government set up a Home Rule Committee composed exclusively of Greenlandic politicians.
In 1975 a joint Danish-Greenlandic Home Rule Commission was set up and its 1978 report was to form the foundation of the Home Rule Act, adopted by referendum in Greenland and by the Danish parliament (Folketing) in 1979.
In the same year, the Landsting (Greenlandic parliament) and the Landsstyre (Greenland government) sat for the first time.
The Home Rule Act lays down that the Danish government retains responsibility for foreign policy, defence and security policy, the legal system and monetary policy. The Greenland Home Rule Government was given the right to take over, pending negotiation, the other areas of responsibility. Today by far the majority of political areas fall under the jurisdiction of Greenland Home Rule.
Form of Government
Greenland is a constituent part of the Kingdom of Denmark, which is composed of Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland. Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II is Head of State.
The Danish Constitution, adopted on 5 June 1953, applies throughout the realm.
The Danish State
As a consequence of national unity, the following areas of responsibility remain under the jurisdiction of the Danish state: the constitution including the highest state authorities, the right to vote and eligibility to stand for parliament, the administration of justice and civic rights, citizenship, passports, visas, national symbols, foreign policy, defence, the National Bank, currency, weights and measures, foreign exchange, legislation on the rights of the individual, family law, inheritance and capital levy law, criminal law and the prison system.
Since 1979 the Danish state has been represented by the High Commissioner for Greenland, who coordinates the state´s activities in Greenland.
The Prime Minister´s Office is responsible for relations with Greenland Home Rule.
In addition, a number of other Danish ministries continue to work on projects in close cooperation with the Greenland Home Rule Government.
Island Commando Greenland comes under the Ministry of Defence, while the police, the legal system and the prison service are the responsibility of the Ministry of Justice. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for all foreign policy matters in the Kingdom of Denmark and also heads the Danish delegation at the International Whaling Commission (IWC).
The Danish Parliament (Folketing)
Since the constitutional amendment of 1953, Greenland has returned two members to the Folketing. Greenland has constituted one constituency since 1977 and since then elected representatives of the Siumut and Atassut parties have sat in the Danish parliament. The Siumut MP also represented the Inuit Ataqatigiit party in the Folketing from 1994 to 1997. A parliamentary committee is responsible for legislation concerning Greenland. This committee meets when Bills pertinent to Greenland come up for debate. In addition, a liaison committee exists to coordinate relations between the Folketing in Denmark and the Landsting in Greenland. Regulations regarding voting rights and eligibility to stand for parliament are the same as in Denmark.
Greenland Home Rule since 1979
The foundation for Greenland Home Rule came into force on 1 May 1979 following a referendum in Greenland the previous January. With a poll of 63%, 12,754 voted for the introduction of Home Rule with 4,705 votes against. Before the legislation was adopted in the Folketing all Danish parties, with the exception of two, voted in favour of the Bill. In the terms of this legislation, Greenland is a separate nation comprised of an indigenous people within the Kingdom of Denmark.
Around half of all Greenland´s public expenditure is covered by a block grant of DKK 2.6 billion (1998) from the Danish state. This means that a sum of money, agreed by the Danish Folketing, is transferred to Greenland Home Rule to be administered by the Greenland Home Rule government.
The Home Rule government is composed of a body of elected representatives
(a parliament), which is called the Landsting. The 31 members of the Landsting are elected every four years and sit at least twice a year, spring and autumn, in Nuuk. The Speaker is appointed by the parliament and has his/her own secretariat (the Landsting Bureau). A number of permanent committees and an ombudsman work under the auspices of the Landsting. The Landsting elects an executive (government) responsible for central administration headed by the Landsstyreformand (Premier). Members of the executive head the individual executive areas (ministries).
The secretariat is responsible to the Premier. Its duties are, inter alia, relations with the national and local authorities and dealing with issues relating to raw materials and foreign affairs. The Denmark Office and the Brussels and Ottawa Representative Offices are also responsible to the Premier.
The Denmark Office has been Greenland´s permanent mission in Denmark since 1979, coordinating Greenland Home Rule activities in Denmark.
Since 1992, the Brussels mission has acted as Greenland´s permanent mission to the EU and is responsible for Greenland´s interests within the EU. Greenland has had a representative at the Danish embassy in Ottawa responsible for Greenland´s interests in Canada since 1998.
The other executive areas function as departmental ministries.
Political Parties
Parties currently represented in the Landsting are: Siumut (forward), Atassut (solidarity), Inuit Ataqatigiit ((Inuit=people) community), together with independent members elected from outside the party system who enter into an alliance.
Siumut´s MP in the Danish Folketing is a part of the Social Democratic parliamentary group. Siumut is a part of Socialist International.
Atassut´s MP in the Folketing is associated with the parliamentary group of Venstre, the Danish liberal party.
Inuit Ataqatigiit (IA) is a nation-wide party.
Local Authorities
There are 18 local authorities in Greenland, which are responsible for local affairs, with popularly elected district councils who elect a mayor. Elections for the district councils are held every 4 years. The district councils join together to form a national association which takes responsibility for their common interests within the Home Rule government, the state and organisations etc.
Each settlement elects a settlement committee at the same time as the elections to the district councils are held.
National Emblems
The longest day of the year, 21 June, was chosen as Greenland´s national day. The national day was celebrated for the first time in 1985, and it was on this day that the Greenlandic flag was officially inaugurated. The Danish flag continues to be used by state institutions and by some members of the public.
The Law, the Courts and the Police
Since the constitutional amendment in 1953 all legislation adopted in Denmark also applies to Greenland unless the legislation specifically states otherwise.
Greenland´s Criminal Code aims to “adopt the most appropriate provisions so as to direct the offender away from a criminal way of life”. There are no prisons in Greenland. Convicted offenders are sentenced to one of three open institutions with the option of confinement in a secure unit. Confinement in one of the three units is, in principle, the most radical punishment imposed on convicted offenders.
However, for a number of years it has been possible to send offenders convicted of grave crimes to indeterminate confinement in Danish jails. Jurisdiction in Greenland is discharged by the district courts and the Greenland High Court in Nuuk. The district court is presided over by a lay district magistrate and two lay judges selected by the district council. The district court, which acts as a lower court, deals with criminal, civil, marital, paternity and probate cases etc. A judgment from the district court can be appealed to the Greenland High Court. The High Court comprises a legally trained
High Court judge. Judgments in appeal cases from the High Court can be appealed to the Supreme Court of Denmark with permission from the Ministry of Justice. Judgments in cases given their first hearing at the Greenland High Court can be appealed to the Eastern Division of the Danish High Court in Copenhagen. The languages used by the courts are Greenlandic and Danish.
Greenland is an independent police district with 17 districts under the command of the Chief Constable in Nuuk. Routine police work is the responsibility of the Chief Constable, who also acts as the country´s public prosecutor. Bailiffs etc. are also employed. Trained police officers are found in most towns. Since 1992 it has been possible to take the entire police training course in Greenland.
Foreign Affairs
Although foreign policy is formally the responsibility of the Danish authorities, the Greenland Home Rule Government can participate in the vast majority of all negotiations relevant to Greenlandic society. In certain cases the Greenland Home Rule Government can conduct independent negotiations, although this must be with the cooperation of the Danish Foreign Service. Under the
Greenland Home Rule Act, international conventions must be submitted to Greenland prior to ratification in Denmark. A reservation can be made for Greenland.
Since 1988 the Landsting has had a foreign and security policy committee. Greenland´s international relations concentrate primarily on areas which are geographically and historically close, such as the Nordic countries, North America (the Arctic Regions) and the European Union (EU). The international cooperative organisation of the Inuit, the Inuit Circumpolar Conference (ICC) is an important factor in external relations.
In 1984 Greenland joined the Nordic Council on a par with two other autonomous Nordic regions: the Faroe Islands (Denmark) and Åland (Finland). The Nordic Council is composed of Finland, Sweden, Norway, Iceland and Denmark. The Greenlandic Landsting appoints two members to the Council. The Greenland government (Landsstyre) has also participated in the Nordic Council of Ministers since 1984.
The Arctic Council (Arktisk Råd), composed of the eight Arctic nations, was founded in 1996 and based on the already established environmental cooperation, known as the Arctic Environment Protection Strategy, which now forms a part of the Arctic Council. In addition to environmental cooperation, the Arctic Council was formed with the aim of developing Arctic cooperation within areas such as education, transport, food, health, the labour market and sustainable economic development.
The Inuit Circumpolar Conference (ICC) was founded in 1980. ICC´s work has concentrated primarily on culture, the environment and formulating an Arctic Inuit policy (Arctic Policy). Since 1992 Inuit from Russia have participated on an equal footing with Inuit from Alaska, Canada and Greenland. In 1983 the UN awarded NGO (Non-Governmental Organisation) status to the ICC. At international level the ICC cooperates with the Sami Council and the Association of Indigenous Minorities of the Russian North and East Asia (RAIPON). Furthermore, the Aleutians have now been recognised as Permanent Participants in the Arctic Council.
Along with these organisations, the ICC has obtained observer status on the Arctic Council.
Denmark joined the EEC following the 1972 referendum. 70% of Greenland´s electorate voted against EEC membership, yet they were obliged to comply with the Danish decision. In Denmark the arguments in favour of membership were the advantages it offered to industry and agriculture. For Greenland, the decision meant that its waters became part of EEC waters and foreign fishing fleets could not be prevented from fishing around Greenland. EEC membership was taken up again following the introduction of Greenland Home Rule and the ‘no´ result was repeated at a consultative referendum.
In 1985 Greenland left the EEC (today the EU) but with an OLT provision (Overseas Countries and Territories Agreement), which ensured Greenland´s fish produce free access to the European market. At the same time a ten-year fishing agreement was signed between Greenland and the EU, ensuring the EU continued access to Greenlandic fishing banks in return for an annual payment of several hundred million Danish kroner. EU countries purchase about 80% of Greenland´s exports.
Greenland´s Landsting has two permanent seats on the Danish parliamentary delegation to the UN General Assembly. The Greenland Home Rule government participates as part of the Danish delegation at all relevant UN conferences and at permanent annual sessions such as the UN Commission for Human Rights.
In Nuuk in 1992 the UN convened a meeting of experts to debate issues relating to indigenous peoples and self-determination. 1993 was declared the International Year for the World´s Indigenous Peoples. The objective was to focus attention on the 300 million indigenous people living in more than 70 countries around the world, from the Arctic to South America and Australia. Many indigenous peoples consider Greenland to be an example of the rights a people can negotiate. Both the Greenland Home Rule government and the ICC participate actively in many international fora to campaign for the rights of indigenous peoples. The UN Year has now been substituted by a Decade (1995-2004) for the World´s Indigenous Peoples.
For the last ten years the Greenland Home Rule government, working with the Danish Foreign Service, has promoted issues relating to indigenous peoples within the UN. For example, a permanent forum for indigenous peoples has been set up and a declaration of the rights of indigenous peoples has been drawn up.
This work is carried out primarily within the framework of the UN Human Rights Commission. However, the specialised agencies of the UN also work to focus attention on indigenous peoples. A former Landsting member is employed at the International Labour Organisation (ILO) as a consultant on questions relating to indigenous peoples.
Greenland participates in a number of North Atlantic organisations involved in fishery and also participates as part of the Danish delegation at the International Whaling Commission (IWC). With the cooperation of the Danish Foreign Service and with Denmark as a partner, Greenland has entered into bilateral agreements on fishery with Norway, Russia and Iceland and with Canada on narwhals and white whales. Greenland was also one of the initiators in setting up the North Atlantic Marine Mammals Commission (NAMMCO), a body that researches and manages marine mammals.
Security Policy
Since World War Two Greenland has been very significant for security policy, due to its geographical location.
In 1941 the US was granted permission to establish bases and other military installations in Greenland following the Base Treaty which was entered into on 9 April 1941 by the then Danish envoy to Washington, as an independent representative of the Danish government, and the American government. This treaty was ratified by the Folketing at its first parliamentary session after liberation in May 1945.
The 1941 treaty was replaced in 1951 by an agreement in accordance with the North Atlantic Treaty regarding the defence of Greenland (the Treaty on the Protection of Greenland). This treaty is still in force. Following the 1951 Treaty on the Protection of Greenland, the US gained extensive control of the bases at Narsarsuaq in southern Greenland, Kangerlussuaq (Sdr. Strømfjord) in western Greenland at the Arctic Circle and Thule in north-western Greenland. As of 1991 the Thule base is the only remaining military installation in Greenland.
The functions of the American bases have varied during the years according to the security policy of the time and technological development. Since the 1960s the main installation at the Thule Base has been a warning system against missile attacks. Another increasingly significant job of the Thule Base is the tracking of satellites and satellite communication.
A permanent committee was set up to discuss conditions surrounding the presence of the American military in Greenland in accordance with an agreement signed in March 1991 between Denmark, the USA and Greenland.
In addition, in the autumn of 1995 a group of permanent Danish/Greenlandic officials was established to discuss all questions of foreign and security policy affecting Greenland. Either party, Danish or Greenlandic, may bring up questions for discussion. A main subject of discussion has been the Treaty on the Protection of Greenland.
Island Command Greenland (GLK) heads Denmark´s military presence and is based in Kangilinnguit (Grønnedal) in southern Greenland. GLK is responsible for routine defence activities and sovereignty surveillance. The Sirius Patrol in north-eastern Greenland is responsible for ice reconnaissance, fishery inspection and the sea rescue service etc. Sirius patrols the entire north and north-eastern regions of Greenland on dog-drawn sledges. The Sirius Patrol operates under the command of Island Commando Greenland.
There is no compulsory military service in Greenland.
The Economy, Business and Industry
Greenland´s economy is primarily based on the export of fish and fish products. In 1997 Greenland´s imports totalled DKK 2,542 million and exports DKK 1,937 million, giving a trade deficit of DKK 605 million.
Export earnings went into decline from the end of the 1980s to the mid 1990s. In recent years exports have shown a rising tendency. This is mainly due to changes in export volume and changes in world market prices.
The fact that the Greenlandic economy does balance is mainly due to block grants from Denmark, which in recent years have amounted to approximately DKK 2.4 billion.
Greenland is a country with a specialised production structure and a versatile demand structure. With the exception of fishing and fish processing, only few goods are produced in Greenland and all consumer goods and supplies for industry and institutions etc. are imported. As a consequence, Greenland depends heavily on imports, while the export of fish and fish produce is extremely vulnerable to changes in resource volume and world market prices.
The average income in Greenland in 1996 was DKK 143,718 per capita. There are, however, great local variations. The difference in income levels between Denmark and Greenland remains considerable.
The income tax system in Greenland is based on source tax with tax deductions withheld by the employer.
In the past the state was the largest employer in Greenland. After 1979 Greenland Home Rule took over this role in step with responsibility being transferred from the state to the Home Rule government. In recent years, however, changes have occurred and many Home Rule-owned companies have been converted into limited companies owned, partly or wholly, by the Home Rule government. (For example, the Home Rule government owns 100% of all shares in Royal Greenland Ltd.). Greenland Home Rule has in this way continued to be the largest employer. There are tendencies which point towards a more market-oriented society. One reason for this is that more state owned companies are taking service contracts to carry out work in the society. This means that Greenland Home Rule and the company in question decide on the work to be done and the cost. The company then carries out the work independently within the budget limits.
Private enterprise is still a relatively new entity in Greenland. The state held the monopoly on business and transportation until the constitutional amendment in 1953.Fishery
Fishing is the mainstay of the Greenlandic economy. It is estimated that about 2,500 people are employed directly in fishing with a further 3,000 employed in the fish processing industry, in addition to part-time workers and those employed in derivative businesses.
The most important resource for fishery is shrimp, which is trawled from large factory trawlers and smaller trawlers supplying the fish processing plants in the towns. Shrimp fishing seems to have peaked with an annual haul of just over 70,000 tonnes. It is assumed that climatic conditions have moved fishing southwards in recent years.
Previously, cod was another very important resource but today this fish has almost disappeared from the waters around Greenland because of climatic conditions. Limited resources are compensated for by fishery in the Barents Sea by bilateral agreements with Norway and Russia. Halibut stocks seem to be more stable and have become an important resource following the disappearance of cod.
Royal Greenland Ltd. is both the largest company involved in fishing and the fish processing industry in Greenland and the country´s largest company with over 3,000 employees. Its most important products are shrimp, cod, halibut and many other fish products. Since 1991 Royal Greenland Ltd. has owned a large Danish fishing concern and in 1996 the company bought a large fish-processing plant in Germany. Royal Greenland Ltd. is now one of North Europe´s largest fishery companies.Hunting
There are some 2,700 professional hunters and fishermen in Greenland and 8,300 people hold a recreational hunting permit. Hunting is therefore of great importance both directly and indirectly to the population, especially in the settlements and in outlying districts.
The primary targets for hunters are seals, birds and mountain trout. Other important, although limited, resources are large and small whales, reindeer and musk ox. Musk ox are, however, not as widespread as reindeer in western Greenland as they have been introduced from eastern Greenland.
Hunting in Greenland requires a valid professional hunting permit or a recreational hunting permit, both subject to a range of conditions. In addition all specimens caught must be reported before a new hunting permit can be applied for. Tourists can buy a temporary license to fish or hunt, which varies in price depending on what they wish to fish or to hunt in the way of seals or ground game. At Kangerlussuaq (Sdr. Strømfjord) and Ivittuut, paid trophy hunts for musk ox are also organised on a limited basis.
Professional hunters and fishermen are organised in their own association, Kalaallit Nunaanni Aalisartut Piniartullu Kattufiat (KNAPK) which, inter alia, negotiates prices for sealskin and meat with the fur company, Great Greenland, and NuKa Ltd., who represent domestic production and the production plants in the settlements. An association for recreational hunters and fishermen also exists.
Internationally, the association KNAPK participates in a number of meetings and negotiations regarding catch quotas etc. Following a campaign against the killing of young seals in Newfoundland and Norway, which had a very negative impact on the Inuit in Canada and Greenland, the seal fur and sealskin markets have gradually recovered. In 1989 Great Greenland introduced seals furs designed by an internationally acclaimed designer. Since then the company has seen a great demand for furs and high quality sealskin which are much coveted, although mainly in Denmark.Minerals and oil
Exploration for oil and minerals together with fishery and tourism have been the most important ventures of Greenland Home Rule.
The majority of mineral exploration activities have been directed at West
and South-West Greenland where, since the middle of the 1990s, Canadian and Australian companies, in particular, have been exploring for and recovering kimberlite rock containing diamonds. As a result of their systematic exploratory work the region between Kangerlussuaq (Sdr. Strømfjord) and Maniitsoq (Sukkertoppen) has now emerged as one of the most promising regarding diamonds. Deposits of the valuable metals niobium and tantalite have also been found in this area. Deposits of gold have been discovered at Disko Bay, Godthåb Bay, Nanortalik and in southeast Greenland. Recent drilling and the 300m long tunnel that has been built will help to assess whether the gold deposits found at Nanortalik can be exploited
for commercial purposes. Large deposits of zinc
had previously been discovered in Peary Land
and the most recent exploration in North
Greenland has revealed potential zinc, lead and silver deposits in Washington Land.
In recent years there have been signs of increased interest in exploratory investigations for oil in the waters off West Greenland. A new oil exploration strategy for Greenland was adopted in 1999 to further encourage this interest. This new strategy includes the announcement that bids will be invited for the waters off West Greenland between 63º and 68ºN in the year 2001. At the moment two licences for exclusive rights have been issued to a group of companies consisting of Statoil, Phillips Petroleum, the National Oil and Gas Company of Denmark (DONG) and the Greenlandic-Danish state owned company, Nunaoil. The first sea drilling for more than 20 years is planned to take place off Nuuk in summer 2000. The results of this drilling are expected to be of great significance for exploratory activities in the coming years.Other commercial enterprises
A hydroelectric power plant was opened in Kangerluarsunnguaq (Buksefjorden) south of Nuuk in October 1993. The hydroelectric plant is not only the first in Greenland, but also represents the largest engineering project undertaken in the country with the exception of the American base, Pituffik, in Thule.
When the Greenland Home Rule government took over the state-owned Greenland Technical Organisation (GTO), the company was renamed and
sub-divided. Responsibility for the various divisions is now shared between the Home Rule government, local authorities and a number of private companies. Large and small private firms of contractors operate throughout Greenland.
Many Greenlanders are employed in the service sectors. Tourism is an area expected to develop greatly in the future and this has recently attracted a lot of political focus. By the year 2005 it is hoped that 30,000-35,000 tourists will visit Greenland annually bringing with them estimated annual earnings of about DKK 500 million.
Sulinermik Inuutissarsiuteqartut Kattuffiat (S.I.K.) is the largest trade union in Greenland. S.I.K. represents virtually all skilled and unskilled workers in the country. Other groups of wage-earners are organised in their own trade unions.
The employer organisation, The Employers Association of Greenland, represents employers in private enterprise and organises local master
craftsmen etc.
Social Welfare and Health Care
The health service has been the responsibility of the Greenland Home Rule Government since 1992. Its responsibilities include the examination, treatment and care of patients, dentistry, veterinary and food control services and the training of health-care workers.
There is a hospital in all but one local authority area in Greenland. Health stations under the direction of a nurse have been set up in the larger settlements. A health-care worker is attached to most settlements.
All hospitals are equipped with an outpatient clinic, a laboratory, an operating theatre and a ward. Common illnesses are treated locally. In cases of more serious illness the patient will normally be transferred to the National Hospital in Nuuk or to Copenhagen University Hospital. Specialists visit the towns and larger settlements in the summer months. There is a dental surgery in every town.
Vaccination programmes are being implemented throughout the country as are regular medical check-ups for infants and school children.
All health-care services are free in Greenland, regardless of citizenship.
From Child to Adult
Local authority childcare institutions or day-care schemes are available virtually throughout Greenland. In the larger towns facilities exist for day-care, nursery, kindergarten and after-school care of children. Cost is determined by parents´ income.
After-school teaching and other leisure activities are available for children and young people of between 6 and 19. These can be similar in nature to youth clubs. These centres are open to children during the daytime and also to 15-19 year olds during the evening.
Schools are municipal and the responsibility of the Greenland Home Rule government. The Landsting lays down the legislative framework.
Schooling is divided into a preparatory year, 8 years of primary education,
2 years continuation, and a final course year of school. School is compulsory for the nine calendar years following the child´s sixth birthday, and most schools can offer nine years of schooling, although not in the settlements. The oldest settlement children are sent to town schools which have boarding facilities or a student residence.
High School education (GU) is available in three towns: Aasiaat (Egedesminde), Nuuk, and Qaqortoq (Julianehåb), and takes three years to complete. GU gives access to further education in Greenland and Denmark.
Vocational schools offer courses of study similar to training available in other countries. Some courses, such as the settlement training programmes, are especially related to Greenlandic society.
Further education of an academic nature is available at Ilisimatusarfik (the University of Greenland), and teacher training at Ilinniarfissuaq (Greenland´s Teacher Training College). Both of these institutions are in Nuuk.
Cooperation agreements have been signed with Danish and foreign educational institutions so that study programmes beneficial to Greenlandic society can be taken abroad.
Church and Culture
The church is a part of the Danish Established Church with an independent diocese and its own bishop. Churches are found in every town. In the settlements, church services are conducted in a chapel usually attached to the settlement school. There is a strong tradition of attendance at Sunday services and other services held on major religious holidays.
Besides the established church, other denominations found in Greenland and include the Roman Catholic Church, the Adventists, the New Apostolic Church, the Ebenezer Chapel, Jehovah´s Witnesses and some non-Christian faiths.
Two nation-wide newspapers, one of which was founded in 1861, are published twice and once a week, respectively. The editorial offices of both newspapers are situated in Nuuk, where the newspapers can be bought on the day of publication.
In most other towns, with the exception of towns in northern and eastern Greenland, the newspapers are usually on sale the following day. Small local newspapers are also published, although less regularly.
Due to the limitations of the printed press, the electronic media, Kalaallit Nunaata Radioa (KNR) and KNR-TV, play an important role in news dissemination etc.
KNR´s main station is located in Nuuk with local stations in Ilulissat (Jakobshavn) and Qaqortoq (Julianehåb). KNR broadcasts daily throughout Greenland from 07:00 to 24:00. The broadcast languages aim to be 75% Greenlandic and 25% Danish. The radio news is transmitted in both languages.
There are daily TV broadcasts between 17:00 and 24:00. A large majority of programmes are bought from Danish TV stations, as KNR-TV as yet does not have sufficient capacity for its own productions. For the last few years KNR-TV has produced a Greenland news programme, “Qanorooq”, transmitted on weekdays. KNR-TV can be received in most parts of the country, from Nanortalik in the south to Uummannaq in the north. KNR sends recorded tapes of transmissions to remote areas and these are transmitted from local TV associations. Satellite TV is now available in many regions.
Libraries have been established in every Greenlandic town and in many settlements. The library is often attached to the school and doubles as a school library. The National Library is in Nuuk.
Greenland´s National Museum and Archives, Kalaallit Nunaata Katersugaasivia Atuagaateqarfialu, is situated in Nuuk. In recent years collections have been transferred from Denmark, offering the possibility of thorough insight into Greenlandic culture from antiquity to the present day. A local museum is found in most towns.
There are two High Schools (højskoler) in Greenland: the Folk High School and the Worker´s High School.
Silamiut is the country´s national theatre and one of the few professional indigenous theatres in the world. Silamiut was founded as a theatre group in Nuuk in 1984. In 1993 Silamiut opened the first theatre school in Greenland. Many towns have an amateur dramatics association.
Greenland´s leading record company, ULO, has its studios in Sisimiut. Besides recording and releasing a broad selection of Greenlandic music, ULO also releases music from the whole Inuit area.
The Greenland Centre for the Performing Arts, Katuaq, was opened in Nuuk in 1997. It is a joint project between the Greenland Home Rule Government, the Nuuk local council and the Nordic Council of Ministers. Katuaq houses a café, a theatre, exhibition and conference facilities. It is also home to the Greenland School of Art, the Nordic Institute in Greenland (NAPA) and the Silamiut Theatre. There are plans to establish an international centre of education for indigenous peoples in Katuaq as a part of the UN Decade for the World´s Indigenous Peoples and the UN Decade for Human Rights Education (1995-2004).
People have been participating actively in sports in Greenland for many years. Some 15,000 belong to one of the 152 sports clubs in Greenland. Greenland´s Athletic Association, established in 1953, is an umbrella organisation for associations that organise local clubs.
A number of other organisations are responsible for looking after the interests of students and young people.
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