Graphics
US interest puts Greenland in focus
By Prasanta Kumar Dutta, Sam Hart, Jon McClure and Mariano Zafra
Published
Greenland is due to vote on March 11 in an election where independence has become the main topic, following recent statements by U.S. President Donald Trump that Denmark should cede control of the Arctic island to the U.S. due to its strategic importance for American security.
September |
The retreat of sea ice in the Arctic — which scientists warn will have severe consequences for Earth’s climate and could disrupt ocean currents — has made transport routes through the Arctic simpler and opened up new possibilities for oil and gas extraction.
According to data from Arctic Ship Traffic Data, the number of ships operating in the Arctic has increased 37% between 2013 and 2023.
Increase in ships in the Arctic
Strategic importance for American security
Greenland's strategic location along the shortest route from Europe to North America is vital for the U.S. ballistic missile warning system.
A 1951 agreement between the United States and Denmark established a U.S. right to construct military bases in Greenland under the NATO framework as long as Denmark and Greenland are notified.
Historically, Denmark has accommodated the U.S. because Copenhagen does not have the capability to defend Greenland, and because of U.S. security guarantees to Denmark through NATO, according to Kristian Soeby Kristensen, senior researcher at Copenhagen University's Centre for Military Studies.
The U.S. military maintains a permanent presence at the Pituffik Space Base in Greenland’s northwest, under command of the U.S. Space Force. The base hosts early warning radar systems that are part of the Space Delta 4 missile defence mission and is strategically situated ahead of NORAD’s North Warning System, a line of radar installations designed to detect missile launches against North America crossing the Arctic.
Following the Trump administration’s comments, Danish lawmakers agreed to allocate around $2 billion to enhance Denmark’s own military presence in Greenland, admitting it has long neglected Greenland's defence.
Untapped resources
A 2023 survey showed that 25 of 34 minerals deemed “critical raw materials” by the European Commission were found in Greenland.
Greenland’s vast untapped resources include rare earths, graphite, copper, nickel, zinc, uranium, titanium, gold and diamonds, and 60% of the island’s non-ice territory has not yet been surveyed. The extraction of oil and natural gas is banned in Greenland for environmental reasons, and development of its mining sector has been snarled in red tape and opposition from Indigenous people.
The scale of Greenland
Greenland is more than three times the size of Texas, the largest state in the contiguous United States …
… and has a population less than a tenth that of Detroit, Michigan.
Most of the population lives on just the 20% of the island that is not permanently covered in snow and ice, all along the coast.
Greenland was a Danish colony until 1953, when it officially became part of Denmark. It gained more autonomy in 1979 with the establishment of its parliament, and received broader autonomy in 2009.
The Trump administration’s interest has shaken the status quo and, combined with growing Inuit pride, has led some locals to view the March 11 vote as a historic chance to free Greenland from Danish influence.
Relations between Greenland and Denmark have been strained after revelations of historical mistreatment of Greenlanders under colonial rule. However, Trump's interest in making the island part of the United States has prompted Denmark to accelerate work to improve its ties with Greenland.
Opinion polls show that a majority of Greenland's inhabitants support independence, but they are divided over the timing and potential impact on living standards.
A poll in January indicated that 85% of Greenlanders do not wish to become a part of the United States, with nearly half saying they see interest by Trump as a threat.
 |
| Snow covers houses in Old Nuuk, located in front of Sermitsiaq Island in Greenland, February 5, 2025. |
Sources
NASA (shaded relief, bathymetry and land cover data), Natural Earth (Tom Patterson), U.S. National Ice Center (Ice and snow data), Artic Council, Marine Regions (exclusive economic zones)
Edited by
Jon McClure, Sandra Maler
No comments:
Post a Comment