Greenlanders were pushed into the global spotlight in the weeks since U.S. President Donald Trump said America could take over their Arctic homeland.
Most say they don't want to be American. Many are worried and overwhelmed by the comments and the attention, but they also are hopeful. They say Trump's comments ignited unprecedented interest in full independence from Denmark — a key issue in a parliamentary election March 11.
Here's a look at various elements of Greenland's remarkable circumstances. Why the keen interest? Greenland is vital to the world, though much of the world may not realize it. The U.
S. and other global powers covet its strategic location in the Arctic, its valuable rare earth minerals trapped under the ice needed for telecommunications and its billions of barrels of untapped oil. There's also potential for shipping and trade routes as the ice that covers most of Greenland keeps retreating because of climate change.
If that ice melts, it would reshape coastlines across the globe and potentially shift weather patterns. Greenland is the world's largest island — about one-fifth the size of the United States or three times the size of Texas. Its landmass is part of North America, and its capital city is closer to New York than to Copenhagen.
Who lives there? Most of the 57,000 Greenlanders are Indigenous Inuit. They take pride in a culture and traditions that helped them survive for centuries in some of the most rugged conditions. They also take pride in t.
