Contingent Profile:

Team Greenland

Greenland has been participating in the Arctic Winter Games since 1990. In 2002, Greenland hosted the Games for the first time in Nuuk. Greenland is the most northerly of the jurisdictions involved in the Arctic Winter Games.

Considered part of North America, Greenland is the world’s largest island. Two thirds of the island is located above the Arctic Circle, and approximately 85% of its land mass is covered by ice. Transportation between the island’s towns is solely by sea, air or even by dog sled in some areas. The majority of settlements are in the southwest, where the climate is mildest.

Eric the Red brought the first European settlers to the island in the year 986. He named the island Greenland in an effort to attract people to it. However, after the disappearance of Norse colonies in the 15th century, Greenland’s only inhabitants until 1721 were the Inuit. At that time, a Danish colony was established on the island. Greenland has been part of Denmark ever since.

Greenland’s population consists mainly of Greenlandic, a mixed race that resulted from the interaction between Inuit and Europeans, mostly Danes, beginning in the 18th century. Today, the island’s residents enjoy powers of self-government under the Danish sovereignty. Their economy is based primarily on the fishing and mining industries.

The Greenland flag is red and white with opposite bars of horizontal white and red, and a circle displaying the opposite colours off centre to the left. The team colours are red and white.