Do You Know How Many Traffic Lights There Are in All of Greenland?

Greenland is a fascinating country. Located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of Canada, it is the largest island in the world with Nuuk as its capital. Below, we’ve gathered the main curiosities about Greenland.

Area

It’s interesting to know that Greenland has a total area of 2 million square kilometers. 85% of it is covered by an ice sheet that reaches up to 3 kilometers thick in some areas.

Roads

There is only one road in the entire country, which connects Ivittuut to Kangilinnguit in the southwestern part of the country. To travel from one municipality to another, one must use a boat, plane, snowmobile, or dog sled.

Traffic Lights

Incredibly, Greenland has only two traffic lights, and both are located on the same street in Nuuk, the largest city and capital of the country. They are on H.J. Rinkip Aqqutaa Street, near the city center.

Suicide Rate

In the 1950s, Denmark implemented a forced resettlement program for Greenlandic Eskimos, requiring them to move into wooden houses and transition from a nomadic to a sedentary lifestyle. This led the country to have the highest suicide rate per capita in the world. Additionally, the number of alcoholics increased exponentially.

Population

Greenland has a population of 57,000, nearly half of whom live in Nuuk, the capital. The population density is one of the lowest globally: just 0.025 people per square kilometer. In Spain, it is 92.33 people per square kilometer.

Denmark

Until 1953, Greenland was a Danish colony. It gained autonomy in 1979 and began self-governance in 1981. Currently, the government is a constitutional monarchy, consisting of 31 members in the Parliament and a Prime Minister. The nominal head of state is the King of Denmark.

Economic Activity

The main economic activities and sources of income for Greenlanders are fishing and whaling. In recent years, tourism has been on the rise.