# Greenland **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 27, 2005, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greenland/337364 "2005-12-27T22:24:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Swashbuckler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Swashbuckler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swashbuckler)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2005, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greenland/337364/1 "2005-12-27T22:24:47Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by the [**CIA Factbook**](http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/gl.html)_ > Greenland was granted self-government in 1979 by the Danish parliament. The law went into effect the following year. Denmark continues to exercise control of Greenland’s foreign affairs. What? How does this work? Greenland doesn’t have its own ambassadors? Suppose hell froze over, albino monkeys flew out of my butt, and Denmark declared war on Canada - would Canada consider Greenland hostile territory? Suppose further that Denmark instituted a draft for the purpose of said war, would that apply to citizens of Greenland? > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by the [**CIA Factbook**](http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/gl.html)_ > It joined the European Community (now the European Union) with Denmark in 1973 but withdrew in 1985 over a dispute over stringent fishing quotas. Wait a sec… deciding to withdraw from the EC sounds suspiciously like “foreign affairs”. Whats the deal here? Somebody dispense with my ignorance, please! ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2005, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greenland/337364/2 "2005-12-27T22:28:42Z")
There’s no precedent being set by an EU country having self-governing overseas territories which are outside the EU. The UK has many, such as the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands, Bermuda, the Falklands, etc. All of these have complete independence in their own affairs, but are represented by the UK in international relations, and for defence purposes (the Falklands being one example where this is more than a token gesture). ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2005, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greenland/337364/3 "2005-12-27T22:31:44Z")
I’m still trying to figure out why Puerto Rico has its own Olympics team! ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2005, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greenland/337364/4 "2005-12-27T22:36:28Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > I’m still trying to figure out why Puerto Rico has its own Olympics team! I believe it’s simply because it has its own Olympic Association. A lot of the history of the Olympics is accidental…from what I can find by Googling, the first Puerto Rican Olympian was in 1948, which ties in with general post-war and post-British Empire chaos. Out of which some places acquired Olympic status, and others didn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Crandolph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7cd45c/32.png) [@Crandolph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crandolph)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2005, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greenland/337364/5 "2005-12-28T00:42:31Z")
Greenland has a population of less than 57,000 people and most of them work in the service sector, fishing and hunting. Few people have college educations and/or speak a diplomatic language like English fluently. I’m not shocked that Denmark handles the international affairs. ---
**Author:** ![Rune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e68b1a/32.png) [@Rune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rune)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2005, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greenland/337364/6 "2005-12-28T01:01:48Z")
Formally Greenland (and the Faeroe Islands, and until 1940 Iceland as well) is a county of Denmark. This is written into the Danish constitution. It has had home rule since 1979, but foreign affairs and security and some other subjects are handled in Denmark. It doesn’t seem to me that EU membership is a foreign affairs matter. Greenlanders actually have the best of both worlds. As part of Denmark they get all the benefits that goes with an EU membership (foremost the EU passport). As outside the EU it gets to tell the EU to sod off. Denmark already got a draft. But inhabitants of Greenland have a special exception, so they’re not required to muster. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2005, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greenland/337364/7 "2005-12-28T01:02:13Z")
> [@Swashbuckler](#): > > Suppose hell froze over, albino monkeys flew out of my butt, and Denmark declared war on Canada - would Canada consider Greenland hostile territory? That’s not [funny](http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2005/07/25/hansisland050725.html) ! ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2005, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greenland/337364/8 "2005-12-28T01:07:12Z")
> [@The Flying Dutchman](#): > > That’s not [funny](http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2005/07/25/hansisland050725.html) ! That whole thing is so damn ridiculous. The island is _clearly_ ours. ---
**Author:** ![Rune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e68b1a/32.png) [@Rune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rune)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2005, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greenland/337364/9 "2005-12-28T01:11:49Z")
> [@Bryan Ekers](#): > > That whole thing is so damn ridiculous. > > The island is _clearly_ ours. There were Greenland eskimoes living and hunting in those areas from before anyone knew what Canada was - or cared. What’s a bunch of lumberjacks gonna do with a frozen island anyway? Stay away. It’s ours. ---
**Author:** ![Rune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e68b1a/32.png) [@Rune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rune)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2005, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greenland/337364/10 "2005-12-28T01:28:25Z")
And for no particular reason I just though I would share with you the Greenland headlines for today: > [@](#): > > **Too small panties under the Christmas tree** > > Men buys too small panties to the wives and women buys shirts, which far from fit the gentlemen’s burgeoning Christmas stomachs. > > … [http://knr.gl/nyheder/nyhed/index.html?&tx\_ttnews[tt\_news]=9082&tx\_ttnews[backPid]=143&cHash=55dd45d9cd](http://knr.gl/nyheder/nyhed/index.html?&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=9082&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=143&cHash=55dd45d9cd) Sounds strangely like home. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2005, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greenland/337364/11 "2005-12-28T01:34:47Z")
> [@Rune](#): > > There were Greenland eskimoes living and hunting in those areas from before anyone knew what Canada was - or cared. What’s a bunch of lumberjacks gonna do with a frozen island anyway? Stay away. It’s ours. The Greenland eskimos migrated to Greenland FROM CANADA just prior to the Scandinavian settlements. Greenland, even if it is a frozen island should be ours ! ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2005, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greenland/337364/12 "2005-12-28T02:30:14Z")
But if Greenland ever had enough people to form athletic teams, especially in soccer, would they play in UEFA or CONCACAF? ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2005, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greenland/337364/13 "2005-12-28T02:34:14Z")
The whole situation is embarassing and ridiculous. The island in question is a frozen knob of rock of no real importance. Let’s give it to Zimbabwe. Maybe they’ll exile Robert Mugabe to it. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2005, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greenland/337364/14 "2005-12-28T07:52:45Z")
> [@BobT](#): > > But if Greenland ever had enough people to form athletic teams, especially in soccer, would they play in UEFA or CONCACAF? It has a team, and wants to be connected to Uefa: [http://www.sport.gl/UK/Administration/Dokumenter/football\_in\_greenland.htm](http://www.sport.gl/UK/Administration/Dokumenter/football_in_greenland.htm) ---
**Author:** ![UselessGit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/74df32/32.png) [@UselessGit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UselessGit)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2005, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greenland/337364/15 "2005-12-28T14:42:14Z")
Since I haven’t seen a Greenlander on the SDMB yet, I can shed some light on these issues… First of all, Canada is Icelandic territory, so the point of Greenland belonging to Canada is moot. Greenland has fairly recently started organizing sports but they have been seen very little on the international stage, with the exception of team handball (which is an awesome sport, by the way). We have a couple of Greelandic players here in Iceland and since they can get into the Icelandic league, they must be pretty good. Greenland, as opposed to the Faeroes, desperately needs Denmark to survive. Greenland could not, in any way, threaten another country today; it’s a sad, desperate place, for the most part. Greenland doesn’t have the best of any world, unless you’re a fan of alcoholism, sexual devience and suicide. And Rune, you have to admit that the (whole) article you linked to sounds considerably more sensible in danish, silly as that particular language and the story in question may be. Anyway, I’ll take these news over “drunken father rapes daughter before committing suicide” any day. Sorry if this all sounds a little depressing but thinking of Greenland always depresses me a little. You should visit, though; words can not describe the island’s awesome beauty. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2005, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greenland/337364/16 "2005-12-28T17:09:38Z")
> [@UselessGit](#): > > First of all, Canada is Icelandic territory, so the point of Greenland belonging to Canada is moot. I think the Skraelingr put paid to that claim, which in any case was purely to Newfoundland (FKA Vinland). The key element to possession by right of conquest is that it be a successful conquest. 🙂 (Posted in behalf of the Beothuk Nation, since there don’t seem to be any Beothuk Dopers either.) ---
**Author:** ![Bambi\_Hassenpfeffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Bambi\_Hassenpfeffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bambi_Hassenpfeffer)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2005, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greenland/337364/17 "2005-12-28T17:26:52Z")
> [@UselessGit](#): > > Greenland doesn’t have the best of any world, unless you’re a fan of alcoholism, sexual devience and suicide. Oooh… I think I just decided on my vacation spot this year! ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2005, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greenland/337364/18 "2005-12-28T23:44:34Z")
> [@UselessGit](#): > > Greenland doesn’t have the best of any world, unless you’re a fan of alcoholism, sexual devience and suicide. You forgot to mention gasoline huffing. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2005, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greenland/337364/19 "2005-12-28T23:53:38Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > You forgot to mention gasoline huffing. Well, it’s a rich cultural mosaic. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2005, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greenland/337364/20 "2005-12-29T01:58:28Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > (Posted in behalf of the Beothuk Nation, since there don’t seem to be any Beothuk Dopers either.) I see what you mean by a successful conquest. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greenland/337364.md?page=2)