The first European settlements of Greenland were established on the west coast in the 10th-century. Responsibility is usually credited to Eric the Red, reputedly the son of a Norwegian chieftain banished from his home in Iceland for murder. The colonists accepted Norwegian sovereignty around 1260, which lasted until the marginal lifestyle of the settlements finally led to their collapse in the 16th-century. The territory was then unoccupied by Europeans until Denmark took possession of it during its own phase of colonial expansion in the early 18th century. It became an integral part of the Danish
realm in 1953. A referendum in 1979 approved internal autonomy within the Kingdom of Denmark: Copenhagen retains control of defense, foreign policy and constitutional matters. Subsequently, a new 21-member parliament was set up, since expanded to 31 seats. In 1982, in another referendum, the population voted by a narrow majority to leave the EC (as it then was) which they had joined as part of Denmark in 1972. Greenland is now an overseas territory in association with the EU, which provides certain trade privileges and access to EU aid. Another source of conflict between Greenland and Denmark has been the presence of a major American military radar installation at Thule in the north, which may be involved in a future US missile defense system. While most of the population would prefer it removed, the Danish Government says that it is bound by treaty obligations. The issue led to the collapse of Greenland’s coalition Government in March 1987. This was an alliance of the social-democratic
Siumit (Forward) – the political party which grew from the nationalist opposition movement to European membership back in the 1970s – and the leftist
Inuit Ataqatigiit (IA, Inuit Brotherhood), which seeks full independence. These two, plus the conservative
Atassut (Solidarity) party, are the main political parties. Coalition governments have controlled the Government for the last 20-odd years. These have been generally stable, but 2003 has proved to be an exception. The December 2002 election had returned Siumut as the largest party, forming a coalition Government with IA under the premiership of Siumut leader Hans Enoksen. However, the Government fell after a month under farcical circumstances, relating to the activities of a faith-healer apparently hired to purge Government offices of evil spirits. Siumut and Enoksen remained in power, with Attasut as its coalition partner, but this Government was also short-lived. It collapsed after eight months following a dispute over miscalculation of the territory’s budget. The Inuit Brotherhood later rejoined Siumut in Government. With Siumut winning 10 of the 31 available seats in the November 2005 election, they will again need to form a coalition to remain in government.
GovernmentExecutive power rests with the five-member
Landsstyre, excepting defense, foreign affairs and constitutional affairs for which the Danish government is responsible. Its members are drawn from the local legislature, the
Landsting (known also by its Inuit title
Inatsi-Satut), which has 31 members elected for four years.
EconomyGreenland withdrew from the European Community (now the European Union) in February 1985 over the issue of the fisheries policy. EU member states are allowed to fish within Greenland’s maritime exclusion zone in exchange for an annual cash payment; this compensates, in part, for the loss of development aid which Greenland would otherwise have received. It also enjoys preferential access to EU markets.
Although there are plans to develop the island’s mineral deposits of iron ore, uranium, zinc, lead and coal, the economy ultimately depends on large subsidies from the Danish central government. The KNI (Royal Greenland Trade Department) organizes transport, supplies and production in the country.
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