Yearbook 2000
Greenland. During the year, an extensive debate was held about the US military base Thule in northern G. If the United States realizes its plans for a new national robot defense, NMD, Thule’s radar system must be modernized to include NMD, which has received harsh criticism from, among other things. Russian Federation. In February, G’s parliament, the county council, supported the self-government government, the government’s demand to participate in any negotiations on Thule between the US and Denmark. Greenlandic Left Party IA, Inuit Ataqatigiit, who is a member of the government, condemned the US plans and demanded that the Danish government immediately reject them. However, the governor’s chair Jonathan Motzfeldt from the Social Democratic Siumut said that neither the national government nor the Copenhagen government can take a position until there is a concrete request from the United States to relate to.
In August, a group of Danes claimed that information in US documents indicates that there is a hydrogen bomb on the seabed outside Thule. The bomb would have been carried on a US military plane that crashed near the military base in 1968. After the accident, the area was decontaminated, but according to the so-called Thule group, a plutonium-filled bomb remained in the depth.
- ABBREVIATIONFINDER: Offers three letter and two letter abbreviations for the country of Greenland. Also covers country profile such as geography, society and economy.
In September, a new fisheries agreement was signed with the EU, which provides increased income despite the EU countries’ fishing quota outside Greenland being significantly reduced.
The test drilling for oil and gas outside of western Greenland was completed in September without any findings being made. By contrast, gold finds were made at test drilling in southern Greenland, and a Canadian mining company explained that it plans to start gold production in 2002.
During the autumn, the National Board presented a bill that will give concessions to companies that want to sell Greenlandic water on the world market, in the future perhaps Greenland’s most important export product.
Economy
Public spending in Greenland is financed by the block grant from Denmark, which in 1999 amounted to DKK 2.6 billion, as well as taxes and fees. In addition, revenues from the sale of fishing licenses and the annual compensation from the EU, amounting to DKK 280 million. per. year. The home government’s annual expenses amount to approx. 6 billion (1997).
In the summer of 1998, the Home Rule asked the OECD to conduct an analysis of Greenland’s economy. This is the result of a report «Greenland’s Economy: Building Strategy for the Future».
The report states that there are basically many health features of the Greenlandic economy: low inflation, public finances and high employment. Nevertheless, the OECD points out that there is a need for structural reforms in Greenland if continued low growth and rising unemployment are to be avoided. The OECD emphasizes that this is not a shock cure, but that a comprehensive reform strategy is to be implemented, which must be implemented over 20-30 years.
The OECD also emphasizes the importance of strengthening the quality of basic education (primary and secondary school). But also that it is required to work in a number of other areas with e.g. a reform of the single-price system that will reduce the role of the public sector, a privatization program, improved competition structure, a freer housing market and a reform of the transfer system.
Population 2000
According to COUNTRYAAH, the population of Greenland in 2000 was 56,064, ranking number 208 in the world. The population growth rate was 0.130% yearly, and the population density was 0.1369 people per km2.