Greenland is vast, icy, and sparsely populated, yet powerful enough to shape global sea levels and geopolitics. Renewed talk, sparked by U.S. President Donald Trump, about U.S. interest in the island has thrust Greenland back into the spotlight, raising urgent questions about climate, power, and why this remote place matters now.
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Greenland Isn't for Sale, But Trump Says He Wants It
Greenland has surged into headlines after Donald Trump once again suggested the U.S. should acquire the island, reigniting global debate.
Despite the attention, Greenland is not for sale, and both Danish and Greenlandic leaders have firmly rejected the idea. However, as the Arctic warms, Greenland's importance is growing and so is global competition for influence there.[2]
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Greenland Is the Largest Island on Earth
Greenland is the largest island in the world, Most world maps have made it look far smaller than it really is. That visual illusion has helped keep Greenland off the radar for decades, until now.[1]
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80% of Greenland Is Covered by Ice
Nearly 80 percent of Greenland is buried beneath ice, much of it more than two miles thick.
If it all melted, global sea levels would rise by over 23 feet, enough to flood major coastal cities and permanently alter shorelines.[5]
![Greenland’s Glaciers Are Constantly Moving]()
Greenland has some of the largest glaciers on Earth
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Greenland’s Ice Is Always Moving
Greenland’s glaciers aren’t frozen in place. They slowly flow toward the ocean, cracking and collapsing into icebergs.
Scientists track these glaciers closely because what happens here affects sea levels, weather systems, and ocean currents across the planet.[5]
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Greenland Has Fewer People Than a Small City
Despite its enormous size, Greenland has a population of only about 56,000 people, fewer than many small towns.
Most live in small coastal communities, while huge stretches of the island’s interior remain untouched and uninhabited.[2]
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The Sun Can Disappear for Months
In parts of Greenland, the sun never rises in winter and never fully sets in the summer.
That means months of darkness followed by endless daylight, shaping everything from daily routines to mental health and cultural traditions.[2]
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Greenland Is One of the Most Strategically Important Places on Earth
Greenland sits between North America and Europe, making it a vital military and surveillance location.
The United States already operates a major military base there, and melting ice is opening new shipping routes, raising the stakes for global powers.[2]
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Greenland Is Packed With Valuable Resources
Beneath Greenland’s ice lie rare earth minerals, uranium, oil, gas, and freshwater.
As access improves, interest in these resources is intensifying, along with geopolitical tension.[2]
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Yes, There Are Polar Bears in Greenland
Greenland is home to one of the world’s largest polar bear populations
Narwhals, Arctic foxes, musk oxen, reindeer, and seals also thrive here, surviving in temperatures that can plunge below –40°F.[2]
![are there polar bears in Greenland]()
Polar bears are legally protected in Greenland, with strict regulations
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Greenland Isn’t Actually Green
Despite its name, Greenland is mostly ice and rock.
Vikings likely named it “Greenland” to make it sound appealing to settlers.[4]
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Greenland Is Slowly Moving Toward Independence
Greenland remains part of the Kingdom of Denmark but governs most of its own affairs.
A growing independence movement could reshape Arctic politics, especially as global interest in the region accelerates.[3]
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Why Greenland Matters to the Rest of the World
What happens in Greenland doesn’t stay in Greenland
Its ice affects global sea levels. Its location influences military strategy. Its resources could shape future economies. And its warming climate offers a glimpse of what may come for the rest of the planet.
Greenland may look remote, but its future is tied to everyone’s. [2]