|
|
| Location | Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada | | | Geographic coordinates | 72 00 N, 40 00 W | | | Zone | North America | | | Area | total: 2,166,086 sq km
land: 2,166,086 sq km (410,449 sq km ice-free, 1,755,637 sq km ice-covered) (2000 est.) | | | Land boundaries | 0 km | | | Coastline | 44,087 km | | | Maritime claims | territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line
continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line | | | Climate | arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters | | | Terrain | flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow, mountainous, barren, rocky coast | | | Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Gunnbjorn 3,700 m | | | Natural resources | coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, molybdenum, diamonds, gold, platinum, niobium, tantalite, uranium, fish, seals, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas | | | Irrigated land | 44,087 km | | | Natural hazards | continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island | | Environment -
current issues | protection of the arctic environment; preservation of the Inuit traditional way of life, including whaling and seal hunting | | | Geography - note | dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe; sparse population confined to small settlements along coast; close to one-quarter of the population lives in the capital, Nuuk; world's second largest ice cap | |
|
