Greenland is geographically part of North America but is politically and economically part of the European Union. It is specifically a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. Its citizens are also considered full citizens of Denmark and the European Union. Nevertheless, while it has a high degree of self-rule, particularly over its internal affairs, it is not an independent country. It is still possible for Greenland to leave Denmark. Its citizens have the right to decide their political status.
Understanding Greenland as a Self-Governing Territory Within Denmark and the European Union
Historical and Cultural Overview
The island was home to several successive Paleo-Inuit cultures from 2400 BCE to 700 CE. A Norse settlement also emerged in 986 following the arrival of Icelanders and Norwegians. The proto-Inuit people called the Thule also entered the territory from modern Alaska and Canada around 1300. The Thule people are the current ancestors of the current Greenlandic population. There are no genes linking the present population to the earlier Paleo-Inuit cultures.
Remember that there were established Norse settlements in Greenland since 986 that coexisted with other cultures. These Norse Greenlanders submitted to the Kingdom of Norway in 1261. However, from the 14th century to the early 15th century, these settlements vanished. Several theories were posited. These include resource depletion that resulted in malnutrition and eventual migration, unsustainable population size, and assimilation into the Inuit community.
A series of expeditions to Greenland and Arctic waterways under the order of King Christian IV of Denmark and Norway transpired between 1605 and 1607. The purpose was to locate the lost eastern Norse settlement and assert the Danish-Norwegian sovereignty over Greenland. This was unsuccessful. The island came under the de facto control of different Inuit communities. But the Dano-Norwegian never abandoned their claim. It was recolonized beginning in 1711.
The current population of Greenland numbers to around 55000. The composition is estimated to be about 89.7 percent multiethnic with European-Inuit origin, 7.8 percent Danish, 1.1 percent Nordic, and 1.4 percent other. A genetic study in 2015 showed that the modern Inuit people in Greenland are direct descendants of the Thule people who set foot on the island in the 13th century with about 25 percent admixture of the European colonizers from the 16th century.
Status as a Self-Governing Territory
The dissolution of Denmark and Norway in 1814 resulted in a dispute over ownership of foreign and former colonies. The matter was submitted to the Permanent Court of International Justice in 1933. The court decided against several of the claims of Norway. Greenland was placed under the control of the Kingdom of Denmark. However, on 9 April 1940, after Nazi Germany occupied Denmark during the Second World War, the island lost its connection to the mainland.
However, to defend it from possible Nazi Germany invasion, the United States occupied Greenland on 8 April 1941. This continued until 1945. Nevertheless, after the war ended, the control over the island went back to Denmark. The 1953 Constitution of Denmark put an end to the colonial status of Greenland and further incorporated it into the Kingdom of Denmark as an amt. Greenlanders became Danish citizens. Strategic assimilation into Danish culture also occurred.
A movement to reassert a Greenlandic cultural identity emerged during the 1970s. A complication from the entry of Denmark into the European Common Market in 1972 resulted in a rethinking of the status of Greenland. This brought forth the Home Rule Act of 1979 that bestowed Greenland with limited autonomy through its own legislature to oversee its internal policies. The King of Denmark remains the head of state and Denmark remained in charge of external policies.
Several reassertions to promote the independence or self-governance of Greenland transpired since. The most impactful one was the proposed Greenland Self-Government Act which called for a higher degree of autonomy. It was placed under the non-binding Greenlandic Self-Government Referendum on 25 November 2008. 76.22 percent of the participants voted in favor of the proposed law while 23.78 percent voted against it. The turnout of voters was about 72 percent.
The Greenland Self-Government Act redefined the relationship between Greenland and Denmark. It resulted in Greenland taking control over law enforcement, the coast guard, and the legal system. The official language was also changed from Danish to Greenlandic. The territory is still dependent on Denmark. It receives financial support from Denmark. Some of which are derived from E.U. funds. Denmark also handles its foreign affairs, defense, and constitutional affairs.
Full Independence or Annexation
The United States has been interested in purchasing Greenland from Denmark since 1867. This first attempt failed due to the opposition in the U.S. Congress. It once again offered to purchase the island in 1946 for USD 100 million. Denmark declined the offer. The U.S. still has a presence in Greenland through its military bases. This was made possible via the 1951 Greenland Defense Agreement with Demark and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization membership.
Nevertheless, considering the clamors for independence, several polls showed that the population of Greenland still wants to be an independent country, but only if this will bring forth economic security. The question of who owns Greenland can be answered by the fact that it is owned by Greenlanders. It is an autonomous territory with an established identity. It is still part of the Kingdom of Denmark. However, if its people want to, it can decide to leave Denmark.
The Greenland Self-Government Act of 2009 grants Greenland the right to self-determination and specific provisions that grant it a legal and political option to seek independence. The territory can hold a referendum to decide on this matter. A vote to leave Denmark will still need to be discussed and agreed upon with the Danish government. This will involve negotiations on various aspects of the separation. The Danish Parliament will need to approve the decision.
Other countries, including the U.S. and Russia, have become interested in Greenland. The melting of ice is exposing buried minerals and maritime routes. However, because it is an autonomous entity that is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, its status is governed not only by Danish law but also by international law and the universal principle of self-determination. A state actor cannot annex Greenland without triggering an international relations and geopolitical crisis.
FURTHER READINGS AND REFERENCES
- Crantz, D. 2014. The History of Greenland. Cambridge University Press. DOI: 1017/cbo9781107281257
- Dyer, B. 1940. “Robert J. Walker on Acquiring Greenland and Iceland.” In The Mississippi Valley Historical Review. 27(2): 263-266. Organization of American Historians. JSTOR: 1896815
- Jakobsen, U. and Larsen, H. 2024. “The Development of Greenland’s Self-Government and Independence in the Shadow of the Unitary State. In The Polar Journal. 14(1): 9-27.
- Informa UK Limited. DOI: 1080/2154896x.2024.2342117
- Miller, J. J. 7 May 2011. “Let’s Buy Greenland.” National Review Online. Available via Web Archive
- Stefansson, V. 1906. “The Icelandic Colony in Greenland.” In American Anthropologist. 8(2): 262-270. Wiley. DOI: 1525/aa.1906.8.2.02a00060