Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Greenland
local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat
local long form: none
Dependency status:
part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas
administrative division of Denmark since 1979
Government type:
parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy
Capital:
Nuuk (Godthab)
Administrative divisions:
3 districts (landsdele); Avannaa (Nordgronland), Tunu
(Ostgronland), Kitaa (Vestgronland)
note: there are 18 municipalities in Greenland
Independence:
none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas
administrative division of Denmark since 1979)
note: foreign affairs is the responsibility of Denmark, but
Greenland actively participates in international agreements relating
to Greenland
National holiday:
June 21 (longest day)
Constitution:
5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)
Legal system:
Danish
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January
1972), represented by High Commissioner Gunnar MARTENS (since NA
1995)
note: government coalition - Siumut and Inuit Ataqatigiit
election results: Hans ENOKSEN elected prime minister
head of government: Prime Minister Hans ENOKSEN (since 14 December
2002)
cabinet: Home Rule Government is elected by the Parliament
(Landstinget) on the basis of the strength of parties
elections: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner appointed
by the monarch; prime minister is elected by Parliament (usually the
leader of the majority party); election last held 3 December 2002
(next to be held NA December 2006)
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Landstinget (31 seats; members are elected
by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve
four-year terms)
note: two representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament or
Folketing on 20 November 2001 (next to be held no later than
November 2005); percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
Siumut 1, Inuit Ataqatigiit 1
election results: percent of vote by party - Siumut 28.7%, Inuit
Ataqatigiit 25.5%, Atassut Party 20.4%, Demokratiit 15.6%,
Katusseqatigiit 5.3%; seats by party - Siumut 10, Inuit Ataqatigiit
8, Atassut 7, Demokratiit 5, Katusseqatigiit 1
elections: last held on 3 December 2002 (next to be held by NA
December 2006)
Judicial branch:
High Court or Landsret (appeals can be made to the Ostre Landsret
or Eastern Division of the High Court or Supreme Court in Copenhagen)
Political parties and leaders:
Akulliit Party [Bjarne KREUTZMANN]; Atassut Party (Solidarity, a
conservative party favoring continuing close relations with Denmark)
[Augusta SALLING]; Demokratiit [Per BERTHELSEN]; Inuit Ataqatigiit
or IA (Eskimo Brotherhood, a leftist party favoring complete
independence from Denmark rather than home rule) [Josef MOTZFELDT];
Issituup (Polar Party) [Nicolai HEINRICH]; Kattusseqatigiit
(Candidate List, an independent right-of-center party with no
official platform [leader NA]; Siumut (Forward Party, a social
democratic party advocating more distinct Greenlandic identity and
greater autonomy from Denmark) [Hans ENOKSEN]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
NC, NIB
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)
Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a large disk
slightly to the hoist side of center - the top half of the disk is
red, the bottom half is white