Greenland's Geography | Greenlands Geography |
![]() MapGreenlandic GeographyLocation: Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada Geographic coordinates: 72 00 N, 40 00 W Map references: Arctic Region Area: total: 2,166,086 sq km land: 2,166,086 sq km (410,449 sq km ice-free, 1,755,637 sq km ice-covered) (2000 est.) Area - comparative: slightly more than three times the size of Texas Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 44,087 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line Climate: arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters Terrain: flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow, mountainous, barren, rocky coast Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Gunnbjorn 3,700 m Natural resources: coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, molybdenum, gold, platinum, uranium, fish, seals, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001) Irrigated land: NA sq km Natural hazards: continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island Environment - current issues: protection of the arctic environment; preservation of the Inuit traditional way of life, including whaling and seal hunting Environment - international agreements: 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 |