Regions and territories: Greenland

Greenland is the world's largest island. Formerly a province of Denmark, it gained the status of an autonomous Danish dependent territory with limited self-government as well as its own parliament in 1979.

Denmark is in charge of foreign affairs and defence policy and contributes two thirds of its budget revenue, the rest coming mainly from fishing. Denmark is also Greenland's main trading partner.

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The climate in Greenland is extremely harsh. More than 80% of the island is covered by an ice cap which is 4km thick in places.

Many of the Eskimo (Inuit) people survive by hunting and fishing and are struggling as fish stocks become depleted. The island's population is only 57,000. Inhabitants face severe social problems, notably unemployment, alcoholism and HIV/Aids.

Recent environmental studies have raised fears that global warming is causing Greenland's ice cover to melt increasingly fast and that this could have serious implications for future sea levels and ocean currents unless the process is rapidly halted and then reversed.

US plans for a national missile defence system have highlighted the strategic importance of Greenland. The Americans have expressed interest in using their Cold War radar base at Thule in the north of the island as part of this defence system.

Dozens of Inuit families were forced off their lands in 1953 to allow expansion at the base. Many Greenlanders would like to see it closed down. Others see economic reasons for keeping it.

A substantial proportion of Greenland's population favours independence. However, the former colonial power, Denmark, has the final say on the matter.

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Territory: Greenland
Status: Self-governing part of Denmark
Population: 56,600 (Statistics Greenland, 2007)
Capital and largest town: Nuuk (Godthab)
Area: 2.17m sq km (840,000 sq miles)
Major languages: Greenlandic, Danish
Major religion: Christianity
Life expectancy: 65 years (men), 72 years (women)
Monetary unit: 1 Danish krone = 100 ore
Main exports: Fish, fish products, hides and skins
GNI per capita: n/a
Internet domain: .gl
International dialling code: +299

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Queen: Margrethe II of Denmark

Prime minister: Hans Enoksen

Hans Enoksen continues as prime minister in a coalition government following general elections in November 2005.

His social democratic Siumut party won 10 seats in the 31-seat Greenland parliament and has reached a coalition agreement with the pro-independence left-wing Inuit Brotherhood which has seven seats and the centre-right Atassut party which has six.

The last elections in December 2002 in which Siumut also won 10 seats were followed by three years of fractious government involving a series of coalitions, the most recent of which ended in wrangling over alleged misuse of funds by two ministers.

The 2005 elections were called early when budget negotiations collapsed.

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There are no daily newspapers in Greenland. Kalaallit Nunaata Radio - the Greenland Broadcasting Company - provides radio and TV services to the whole of the island. Programmes are in Greenlandic and Danish. Danish public radio is also available.

The press
Atuagagdliutit/Gronlandsposten - published twice weekly
Sermitsiaq - weekly

Television and radio
Kalaallit Nunaata Radio (KNR) - public broadcaster