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Why Greenland Is So Incredibly Empty... It's Not Just The Ice
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Apr 2, 2025
Listen to the companion podcast episode here: https://linktr.ee/geographyiseverything Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geographybygeoff/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@geographybygeoff Podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/show/geography-is-everything Linktree for everything: https://linktr.ee/geographybygeoff Greenland is a spectacle to behold! It's almost entirely covered in ice, yet there are some "green" areas. Still, the largest island in the world is home to only about 56,000 people making it one of the least densely populated regions of the world. So why do so few people live in Greenland? And why is it called "Green" if it's actually filled with so much ice? Stock footage is acquired from www.storyblocks.com. Animation support provided by DH Designs (needahittman.com)
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Greenland is the largest non-continental island in the world
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about three times the size of the U.S. state of Texas. And despite being thought of as entirely ice
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about 20% of Greenland is, in fact, relatively green. This leaves quite a bit of land that
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in theory, could be habitable. Still, only about 56,000 people call this vast island home
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making it the least densely populated region of the world. So why do so few people live in Greenland
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And why is it called green if it's so icy? Welcome to Geography by Jeff
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Today we're off to explore the largest island in the world, Greenland
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And more specifically, find out why so few people call the largest island in the world home
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While the answer might seem obvious, there are some surprising geographic features at
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play that go well beyond the single word, ice. But before we get to today's episode all about Greenland, be sure to check out this week's
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podcast episode, also all about Greenland. In today's episode, Hunter and I dive deep into the geopolitics of Greenland
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why the United States tried to buy it a few years ago, and why it wants to be independent from Denmark
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You can listen to that episode right now by clicking this link or by checking out the description below
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Greenland, the world's largest non-continental island, has a surprisingly deep history. And it's so surprising because it's a land where the unforgiving Arctic Ocean
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meets the North Atlantic Ocean, and where ice dominates the landscape. The history of Greenland is as unique as its geography
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deeply intertwined with the lives of the indigenous peoples who have called it home for thousands of years
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and the European explorers who stumbled upon it centuries later. The earliest inhabitants of Greenland were Paleo-Eskimo peoples
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also known as the Sakak, who are thought to have arrived there around 2500 BC
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near what is now known as Disco Bay. The Sakaks were followed by the Dorset culture around 800 BC
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and then by the Thule culture around 1080. These indigenous peoples, ancestors of today's Greenlandic Inuit
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were skilled hunters and adapted remarkably well to the harsh Arctic environment
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They hunted marine mammals like seals and whales and traversed the icy landscapes using sleds and kayaks
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Greenland's first known European visitor was Icelandic Viking Erik the Red. According to the sagas
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after being exiled from Iceland, Erik sailed westward and landed on Greenland
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around the year 982. He spent several years exploring the island before returning to Iceland
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where he touted Greenland's potential for settlement. His sales pitch worked, and in 986
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Erik led a group of colonists back to Greenland, establishing settlements on the island's southwest coast
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These Norse settlements, known as the Eastern Settlement and the Western Settlement, thrived for several centuries, engaging in farming, hunting, and trading ivory from rawr's tusks
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However by the 1400s the Norse colonies in Greenland had mysteriously vanished Theories about their disappearance range from climatic changes to economic isolation and conflicts with the Inuit What is clear though is that with the departure of the Norse the Inuit were once again
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the sole inhabitants of Greenland. It would be a couple hundred more years before Europeans would once again
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involve themselves with the island. In 1605, the king of Denmark and Norway
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sent an expedition to reassert a claim to the island. This marked the beginning of a new era
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of European interest in Greenland, which was primarily driven by the pursuit of whaling and the fur trade
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Over the centuries, Denmark established a colonial presence on the island, which continued until the 1900s
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Today, Greenland is an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark, but the majority of its population is Inuit, not European
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which is probably how they've been able to survive in such a cold and unforgiving environment
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But before we get to the physical geography of Greenland, if you're enjoying this video, be sure to hit that subscribe button
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More fun geography videos are just a single click away. Greenland, often imagined as a monolithic land of ice and snow
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has a geography that contradicts its icy reputation. Known primarily for its massive ice sheet
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the second largest in the world after Antarctica's, Greenland also features unique landscapes in areas not covered by ice
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Additionally, recent discoveries have revealed intriguing features beneath its ice, including what could be the world's largest canyon
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The Greenland ice sheet, covering roughly 80% of the island's surface, is a colossal expanse of ice well over a mile thick in some places
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This ice sheet is a critical part of the global climate system playing a significant role in sea level rise due to climate change
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In fact, if all of Greenland's ice were to melt, it's estimated that the sea would rise by as much as 25 feet
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And this ice is constantly moving, flowing outward from the center of the island
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and forming dynamic glaciers that spit out icebergs into the ocean. However, Greenland's non-ice covered areas
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comprising about 20% of the island's landmass, presents a different kind of landscape
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These areas are primarily located along the rugged, fjord-indented coast. The south and west coasts in particular
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are the most ice-free regions and host the majority of Greenland's population
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This region features a relatively mild Arctic climate, allowing for limited agriculture
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in the form of sheep farming and even some small-scale vegetable farming in sheltered locations
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The coastal areas also feature a tundra biome, where hardy species of mosses, lichens
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and low-growing shrubs manage to thrive. The wildlife includes arctic foxes, hares
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and a variety of bird species which migrate to Greenland during the short summer
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And while all of this geography above or outside of the ice is fascinating, under the ice, Greenland gets even more interesting
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One of the most significant discoveries beneath Greenland's ice is a complex topography of mountains, valleys, and plains
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In fact, a recent discovery has found a grand canyon that runs almost the entire length of Greenland
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and could potentially guide the flow of ice towards the sea Greenland geography is extreme Whether you above the ice or below it there simply no place on the island that makes living there easy which is perhaps not surprising for those that have made the island their home today
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Greenland, despite its vast land area, is one of the least densely populated regions in the world
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And while this might seem obvious, Greenland is very cold after all, it doesn't quite explain the
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whole situation. After all, there are few people living on Greenland than in Iceland, Norway
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or Sweden, all of which are located at the same latitude and get very cold as well. So why don't
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more people live in Greenland? Firstly, Greenland's extreme climate does play a significant role in
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limiting its population. There's no way around it. The island is largely ice, which leaves only
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about 20% of land available for people to inhabit, mostly along the coast. This ice cover significantly
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restricts habitable areas. In contrast, though Iceland, Norway, and Sweden are also at high
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latitudes, they have much larger ice-free and arable areas. In fact, it's the Gulf Stream in
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the ocean which moderates the climates of Norway and Sweden. As warm water builds up in the Caribbean
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region, it moves northeast towards mainland Europe, moderating temperatures all around. Greenland, situated just north of the primary Gulf Stream, does not benefit from the same effects
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And Iceland, while also situated a bit north of the primary Gulf Stream
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has a milder climate than Greenland due to much more volcanic and geothermal activity
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But also, the geographic isolation of Greenland contributes to its low population
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Situated between the Arctic and North Atlantic Oceans, Greenland is remote, with limited access to the outside world
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This isolation has historically limited migration and trade opportunities. In fact, the vast majority of Greenland's population is on its west coast nearer to Canada
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further isolating it from European countries. And being a large, cold country themselves
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Canada never established large cities in its northern territories, giving few opportunities for Greenlanders to have nearby neighbors
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In contrast, Norway and Sweden have been integral parts of European trade routes for centuries
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and Iceland, while isolated, has developed strong air and sea transport links
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with both Europe and North America. Economically, Greenland's opportunities are also more limited compared to its Nordic counterparts
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The island's economy is heavily dependent on fishing with limited diversification. The harsh climate and permafrost make agriculture almost non-existent
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limiting food production and variety. And if you're a country with a large population
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you either need to be able to grow your own food like the United States can or purchase food from others like Saudi Arabia does with its wealthy economy
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Greenland, unfortunately, can't really do either at the moment. Finally, infrastructure development in Greenland is a huge challenge
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And it's very expensive due to the harsh terrain and climate, which impacts the quality of life and economic opportunities
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Connecting the disparate communities through the fjords and harsh climate is incredibly expensive In other Arctic areas such as Alaska roads need to be repaved far more often This puts an infrastructural limit on how many people Greenland can sustain Today Greenland is home to just over 56 people making it the least densely populated region in the world
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About 18,000 Greenlanders live in the capital Nuk on the West Coast
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This would be followed by Sissamut with 5,500 people, Elulisette with 4,600, and Asiat with just over 3,000 people
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The rest of Greenland's population is scattered in smaller towns and villages
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mostly on the western and southern coast. The names Greenland and Iceland have confused people for centuries
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primarily because they seem to contradict the physical characteristics of these places
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Greenland, largely covered by a vast ice sheet, is anything but green for most of the year
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while Iceland, though it has its share of glaciers, also boasts green valleys
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hot springs, and geothermal areas. The origin of these names is a blend of historic, cultural, and perhaps even marketing considerations
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from the early Norse settlers. The story of Greenland's name begins with the Norwegian Viking Erik the Red
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According to Icelandic sagas, Erik was exiled from Iceland around the year 982 due to some
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murders he committed. He set sail and eventually landed on the shores of a vast icy land
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After spending a few years exploring the region, Erik returned to Iceland to recruit settlers
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for this new land. It is said that he deliberately chose the name Greenland as a way to attract settlers
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making it sound more appealing than it actually was. The southern coast of Greenland, where Erik settled, do have some greenery during the brief
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summer, but the name was likely exaggerated to entice more people to join the settlement venture
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Iceland's naming story is a bit more straightforward, but still contains elements of irony
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The saga suggests that it was a Viking named Floki who gave Iceland its name
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Floki sailed to the island from Norway, but unlike Erik the Red, he had a less favorable experience
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After a harsh winter, Floki climbed a mountain and, upon seeing a fjord full of icebergs, named the land Iceland
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This was in contrast to the relatively green and fertile valleys that also characterize much of Iceland, especially in the summer
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These names, chosen by Norse settlers, have stuck through the centuries, despite their apparent contradiction with the geographic realities
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Some historians and linguists have speculated that there might have been a mix-up or a deliberate
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swap of names as part of Viking humor or storytelling tradition, but there is no concrete
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evidence to support this theory. Greenland is cold and icy. There's no doubt about that
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Still, the reasons for the island having such a small population extends beyond just ice
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The orientation of its settlements towards Canada and the lack of a moderating influence
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of the Gulf Stream each contribute to its population distribution. and unless that changes in the future
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which it very well might, Greenland is likely to have a very low population
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for the foreseeable future. I hope you enjoyed learning more about Greenland. If you did, please subscribe to my channel
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If you wanna listen to the podcast, click here. And if you wanna watch more of my videos, click here
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Thanks for watching, see you next time
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