Over the past year, Greenland has received significant international attention, primarily driven by repeated indications and statements from the Trump administration expressing an intention to take over Greenland.
In connection with these statements from, among others, the U.S. administration and the related media coverage, there is a need to clarify the factual circumstances concerning Greenland and a number of issues presented by the media and the Trump administration.
SFAI Greenland is not a political organization, but an audit firm—just as SFAI Global is not a political organization, but rather a professional association. The purpose of this statement is therefore not to promote political views, but solely to inform our member colleagues about Greenlandic conditions, so that SFAI members may pass on accurate information to potential clients and others who may have an interest in Greenland.
Denmark is a kingdom—indeed, one of the world’s oldest monarchies. The Kingdom consists of three countries: Denmark, the Faroe Islands (north of the British Isles), and Greenland. The inclusion of the Faroe Islands and Greenland in the Kingdom is due to the fact that these territories were discovered by Danish Vikings approximately 1,000 years ago and subsequently settled by Danes. During the same period, Greenland has also seen intermittent settlement by the indigenous Inuit people, who are found throughout the Arctic region. When the Vikings discovered Greenland, they subsequently also reached the American continent—but they never laid claim to that land.
The three countries within the Kingdom each have their own governments, and the Faroe Islands and Greenland exercise full autonomy in domestic affairs. Foreign affairs, including military matters, are administered from Denmark in close consultation with the local governments of the Faroe Islands and Greenland.
In 1979, partial home rule was established in Greenland, and in 2009 full self government was introduced. Self-government entails, among other things, that the Greenlandic people may decide to establish themselves as an independent state—that is, a sovereign state outside the Danish Kingdom. Should Greenland become a fully sovereign state, it would no longer be able to remain part of the Danish Kingdom, as the Danish Constitution
prevents the Danish monarch from being king over countries other than Denmark.
Greenland is therefore not a Danish colony or any form of property that Denmark can sell. Greenland’s independence may be decided by the Greenlandic people and must subsequently be approved by Denmark. In Denmark, there is political willingness to accept this, should the Greenlandic people decide in favor of independence through a referendum.
Greenland has a population of approximately 57,000 people, of whom about 50% are indigenous Inuit. About 30,000 lives in the capitol Nuuk.
Greenland is not a member of the European Union, but is a member of NATO through Denmark’s membership of NATO.
Since the Second World War, Denmark and the United States have had an agreement granting the United States unrestricted access to establish and operate military facilities on Greenlandic territory. Currently, the United States operates only the base at Thule—Pituffik Space Base. Over the past 10–15 years, the United States has, of its own accord, significantly reduced its military activities in Greenland. Under the agreement between Denmark and the United States, the U.S. may at any time increase its presence on land, at sea, and in the air. This means that the security threat to the United States via the Northern Hemisphere—according to the United States—can at any time be countered through increased presence under the existing agreement; the United States
therefore has no need to take over Greenland in order to address such threats.
Furthermore, Greenland is covered by NATO’s principle of solidarity, and other NATO countries also maintain a military presence in and around Greenland.
As a result of global warming, there has over the past 10–15 years been a rapid reduction of the ice sheet, which covers approximately 90% of the Greenlandic landmass. This has led to increasing access to new land areas containing many important natural resources, such as oil and gas, as well as raw materials used in batteries and microchips.
The increased interest in recent years in Greenland, its independence, and the potential transition (voluntary or involuntary) to becoming part of another country must therefore be seen in connection with the increased access to these rare resources and minerals.
Exploitation of Greenland’s subsoil takes place through licenses granted by the Greenlandic self-government, subject to Denmark’s right to veto such licenses if they are deemed to pose a security risk.
As is evident from the above, there is no factual basis for the United States or any other
country to take over Greenland, since:
- Greenland is a country, not a colony or property; it therefore cannot be sold, as itdoes not belong to Denmark, but to the Greenlandic people
- The security challenges referred to by the United States can be addressed through the existing agreements between Denmark and the United States
- Greenland is a full member of NATO and is therefore covered by NATO’s security guarantees
- Denmark bears the immediate military responsibility for the Greenlandic area; this is carried out, among other things, through the Arctic Command, which monitors the entire Greenlandic territory, and the Sirius Patrol, which monitors the entire northern ice cap—an uninhabited area. The Sirius Patrol uses dog sleds and snowmobiles, which are the most practical means of transportation in these harsh regions
- Denmark is currently investing approximately EUR 12 billion in expanding military surveillance across the entire Arctic region, including new surveillance aircraft and vessels, as well as the establishment of new land-based units
If you, as an SFAI member, require further information about Denmark, the Faroe Islands, or Greenland—including opportunities for establishing businesses in these areas—please feel free to contact us:
- SFAI Denmark: info@2plus-revision.dk
- SFAI Greenland: info@sfai-greenland.gl
