Greenland pushes back against US takeover threat
Greenland “has no intention of becoming America,” he said, emphasizing its alliance with the United States even though it remains in Denmark.
President Donald Trump wants to seize control of the Danish territory of Greenland, which spans more than 836,000 square miles and is three times the size of Texas, about 80% of which is covered by a giant ice sheet.
Flawed maps often make islands appear smaller or larger than they really are. On some maps, it appears to be as large as Africa.
So, how big is Greenland? Here’s everything you need to know.
scale
One of the world’s largest places, Greenland is about 20 times the size of Denmark and 14 times the size of Africa, according to VisitGreenland.com.
Comparison: The world’s largest non-continental island, Greenland is larger than France, Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom combined. It is also larger than the state of Alaska but smaller than the contiguous United States.
Who lives in Greenland?
The island has a population of approximately 56,480 people, making it one of the least densely populated islands in the world. Approximately 88% of the island’s people are Inuit or of mixed Danish and Inuit descent. The remaining 12% of the population is of European descent, primarily Danish.
People living on the island speak both Greenlandic and Danish.
About a quarter of the population lives in the capital Nuuk, which is the island’s largest settlement and home to museums, cafes and fashion boutiques, according to tourism websites.
How are the regions connected?
Despite the country’s size, there are no roads or rail systems connecting the towns. Each town has its own road, but it stops at the edge of town. Boats are the most popular means of transportation. Travel between towns is often done by plane, boat, helicopter, snowmobile or dog sled, according to tourism websites.
Michelle Del Rey is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Please contact mdelrey@usatoday.com.
