15 Surprising Facts About Greenland and the U.S.

Trump is the 3d U.S. president to try to acquire Greenland

How many of these surprising facts did you already know?

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1. U.S. Aspirations to Buy Greenland Date Back Nearly 160 Years

   President Andrew Johnson sought to purchase Greenland in 1867. Johnson’s Secretary of State William Seward explored buying Greenland alongside Alaska, per the U.S. State Department’s historical records. Only the Alaska deal went through.

2. Truman Tried to Buy Greenland
   In 1946, President Harry Truman proposed buying Greenland for $100 million in gold. The idea stemmed from Cold War fears about Soviet influence. Denmark rejected the offer.

3. Trump Talked About Greenland Takeover in First Term, Too
   During his first term, Donald Trump also floated the idea of the U.S. buying Greenland, sparking global headlines in August 2019. He called it a “large real estate deal” for national security. Denmark quickly dismissed the notion, with Greenland’s leaders asserting their autonomy.

4. A Cold Connection Dates Back to WWII
   The U.S. military first set foot in Greenland during World War II to prevent Nazi Germany from gaining a foothold.

5. Norway Used to Own Greenland

   Denmark owns Greenland as a constituent country within the Kingdom of Denmark. In 1814, after the Napoleonic Wars, Norway was forced to relinquish several territories when its alliance with Napoleonic France crumbled, according to the Norwegian Historical Association. Denmark, aligned with the victorious powers, gained Greenland and other territories. (Norway was transferred from Danish to Swedish control.) This wasn’t a voluntary handover but a consequence of wartime negotiations and territorial realignment dictated by the treaty’s terms.

6. Greenland’s ‘Self-Rule’

   Denmark granted Greenland self-rule in 2009 to address growing demands for autonomy and self-determination from Greenlanders, while retaining control over foreign affairs and defense, as outlined by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

7. The U.S. Currently Defends Greenland’s Security
   Even though Denmark owns Greenland, the United States has been responsible for Greenland’s military security since a 1951 defense agreement with Denmark, as reported by the U.S. Department of State. The Defense Agreement was signed amid Cold War tensions to secure the North Atlantic against Soviet expansion, leveraging Greenland’s strategic Arctic position, according to the U.S. Department of State.

8. Thule Air Base Monitors Russia
   The defense pact allows U.S. forces to maintain bases in Greenland, like Thule Air Base, a key military installation, ensuring protection in the strategically vital Arctic region. Originally, it was to ensure a forward presence to monitor and deter potential threats from the Soviet Union. It has advanced radar systems to track ballistic missiles and aircraft. Thule Air Base’s radar tracks Russian activity in the Arctic, giving the U.S. a front-row seat to monitor its longtime rival.

9. Shipping Lane Importance

   Greenland’s proximity to shipping lanes heightens its value to the U.S.

10. Arctic Interests
    The U.S. and Greenland are both part of the Arctic Council, a forum addressing regional issues like the theory of man-influenced climate change, as outlined by the council’s official site. Greenland’s proximity to the North Pole makes it a critical partner for U.S. Arctic policy and research.

11. Rare Earth Riches
    Greenland holds vast deposits of untapped resources like rare earth minerals, vital for tech like smartphones, which the U.S. is interested in for economic and security reasons.

12. Greenland’s Ice Sheet Compared to U.S. Landmarks
    Greenland’s ice sheet covers about 80% of its land and holds enough water to raise global sea levels by 24 feet if it melted entirely, says NASA’s Earth Observatory. It’s estimated that would be enough to submerge a two-story building (assuming a typical story is about 10-12 feet).

13. Greenland’s Name Is a Marketing Ploy

    Despite its icy reputation, Greenland was named by Viking Erik the Red to attract settlers, though it’s mostly covered in ice, according to History.com. (The U.S. got its name from explorer Amerigo Vespucci.)

14. U.S. Weather Station
    During the Cold War, the U.S. operated a secret nuclear-powered weather station called Camp Century in Greenland’s ice. It was abandoned in 1967, according to Smithsonian Magazine. It’s now a relic of American ingenuity buried under snow.

15. Greenland’s Massive Size Surprises Many
    Greenland is the world’s largest island, covering about 836,000 square miles, yet it’s home to just over 56,000 people, according to the CIA World Factbook. In contrast, the United States spans roughly 3.8 million square miles with a population exceeding 330 million.

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