Demographics of Greenland
Population pyramid of Greenland in 2020
Population57,792 (2022 est.)
Growth rate-0.02% (2022 est.)
Birth rate13.79 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate8.96 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Life expectancy73.98 years
 • male71.28 years
 • female76.82 years
Fertility rate1.91 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Infant mortality rate8.75 deaths/1,000 live births
Net migration rate-5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Age structure
0–14 years20.82%
65 and over10.36%
Sex ratio
Total1.08 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
At birth1.05 male(s)/female
Under 151.03 male(s)/female
65 and over0.84 male(s)/female
Nationality
NationalityGreenlander
Language
OfficialGreenlandic
SpokenGreenlandic, Danish, English

This is a demography of the population of Greenland including population density, ethnicity, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.

Populations

As of 1 January 2023 the resident population of Greenland was estimated at 56,609, an increase of 47 (0.08%) compared to the corresponding figure the previous year.[1]

Population by municipality
on 1 January 2022
MunicipalityPopulation % of totalAnnual change
Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq24,14842.66%Increase +287 (+1.2%)
Avannaata Kommunia10,92019.30%Increase +12 (+0.1%)
Qeqqata Kommunia9,25716.24%Decrease −66 (−0.7%)
Kommune Kujalleq6,20510.96%Decrease −87 (−1.4%)
Kommune Qeqertalik6,08210.74%Decrease −98 (−1.6%)

Values do not sum to 100% because there were 63 inhabitants not in any of the five municipalities. Nuuk is the most populous locality in Greenland with 19,604 inhabitants, which is nearly 35% of Greenland's total population.

Vital statistics

[2][3]

Year Average population Live births Deaths Natural change Crude birth rate (per 1000) Crude death rate (per 1000) Natural change (per 1000) Total fertility rate Infant mortality rate
1900 12,000 416306110 35.626.29.4
1901 12,000 461301160 38.725.313.4
1902 12,000 426259167 35.521.613.9
1903 12,000 428327101 35.126.88.3
1904 12,000 535283252 43.523.020.5
1905 13,000 487292195 39.023.415.6
1906 13,000 493366127 39.129.010.1
1907 13,000 476362114 37.228.38.9
1908 13,000 543378165 42.129.312.8
1909 13,000 564448116 43.134.28.9
1910 13,000 44335489 33.626.86.7
1911 13,000 57756215 43.141.91.1
1912 14,000 48238993 35.728.86.9
1913 14,000 592390202 43.528.714.9
1914 14,000 53145873 38.833.45.3
1915 14,000 545428117 39.831.28.5
1916 14,000 54544798 39.532.47.1
1917 14,000 547312235 39.422.416.9
1918 14,000 550328222 39.323.415.9
1919 14,000 510614−104 36.243.5−7.4
1920 14,000 569429140 40.130.29.9
1921 14,000 61056545 42.739.53.1
1922 15,000 545396149 37.327.110.2
1923 15,000 563326237 38.022.016.0
1924 15,000 580426154 38.428.210.2
1925 15,000 66058278 42.937.85.1
1926 16,000 619340279 39.721.817.9
1927 16,000 615322293 38.720.318.4
1928 16,000 680366314 42.022.619.4
1929 17,000 743353390 45.021.423.6
1930 17,000 768383385 45.722.822.9
1931 17,000 779431348 46.125.520.6
1932 17,000 728625103 43.337.16.2
1933 17,000 776370406 45.621.823.8
1934 17,000 807503304 46.428.917.5
1935 18,000 813835−22 46.547.7−1.3
1936 18,000 740811−71 42.046.1−4.0
1937 18,000 767474293 43.126.616.5
1938 18,000 731375356 40.420.719.7
1939 18,000 76268082 41.637.24.5
1940 19,000 873356517 46.919.127.8
1941 19,000 815364451 42.719.123.6
1942 20,000 904448456 46.122.923.3
1943 20,000 796429367 39.821.518.4
1944 20,000 911491420 44.724.120.6
1945 21,000 818408410 39.519.719.8
1946 21,000 920416504 43.619.723.9
1947 22,000 953490463 44.122.721.4
1948 22,000 883499384 40.522.917.6 5.695
1949 22,000 98989891 44.740.64.1 6.045
1950 23,000 1,129539590 50.023.826.1 6.930
1951 23,000 999550449 42.923.619.3 5.770
1952 24,000 1,034475559 43.119.823.3 5.960
1953 25,000 1,109398711 44.916.128.8 6.150
1954 26,000 1,136388748 44.415.229.2 6.310
1955 27,000 1,234375859 46.414.132.3 6.605
1956 27,000 1,293351942 47.212.834.4 6.670
1957 29,000 1,3613371,024 47.611.835.8 6.925
1958 30,000 1,4102901,120 47.29.737.5 6.815
1959 31,000 1,4912851,206 47.69.138.5 7.145
1960 33,000 1,5862561,330 48.67.840.7 7.245
1961 34,000 1,6442921,352 48.88.740.1 7.310
1962 35,000 1,6103611,249 46.110.335.8 7.085
1963 36,000 1,6712791,392 46.27.738.5 7.035
1964 38,000 1,7973291,468 47.48.738.7 7.270
1965 39,000 1,7383371,401 44.38.635.7 6.960
1966 41,000 1,7813291,452 43.58.035.5 6.995
1967 43,000 1,6853141,371 39.37.332.0 6.395
1968 45,000 1,5763331,243 35.37.427.8 5.845
1969 46,000 1,310311999 28.56.821.7 4.580
1970 46,000 1,144283861 24.76.118.6 3.900
1971 47,000 1,028289739 21.86.115.7 3.245
1972 48,000 948295653 19.66.113.5 2.770
1973 49,000 940339601 19.26.912.3 2.690 36.2
1974 50,000 866332534 17.56.710.8 2.300 28.9
1975 50,000 815313502 17.56.311.2 2.345 36.8
1976 50,000 859348511 17.37.010.3 2.255 32.6
1977 49,000 918373545 18.67.211.4 2.349 42.5
1978 49,000 870309561 17.76.411.3 2.197 26.4
1979 50,000 900393507 18.28.110.0 2.187 37.8
1980 50,000 1,034380654 20.57.612.8 2.435 31.9
1981 51,000 1,056381675 20.67.513.1 2.332 31.3
1982 52,000 1,052408644 20.68.212.4 2.236 37.1
1983 52,000 994433561 18.98.310.6 2.054 37.2
1984 53,000 1,054439615 20.08.311.7 2.107 28.5
1985 53,000 1,152435717 21.48.213.2 2.241 24.3
1986 54,000 1,055445610 19.78.311.4 2.044 22.7
1987 54,000 1,104445659 20.48.212.2 2.083 26.3
1988 55,000 1,213432781 22.17.914.3 2.317 16.5
1989 55,000 1,210455755 21.98.213.7 2.299 21.5
1990 56,000 1,258467791 22.68.414.2 2.444 32.6
1991 56,000 1,192458734 21.58.313.2 2.421 34.4
1992 55,000 1,237441796 22.48.014.4 2.607 12.9
1993 55,000 1,180432748 21.37.813.5 2.578 26.3
1994 56,000 1,139445694 20.58.012.5 2.527 22.8
1995 56,000 1,101480621 19.78.611.1 2.512 20.9
1996 56,000 1,051444607 18.88.010.9 2.493 22.8
1997 56,000 1,095492603 19.68.810.8 2.690 18.3
1998 56,000 980457523 17.58.19.3 2.457 20.4
1999 56,000 945479466 16.88.58.3 2.415 16.9
2000 56,000 879450429 15.78.07.7 2.329 18.2
2001 56,000 942466476 16.88.38.5 2.510 10.6
2002 57,000 954446508 16.97.89.1 2.566 13.6
2003 57,000 879411468 15.47.28.2 2.372 8.0
2004 57,000 892479413 15.68.47.2 2.415 13.5
2005 57,000 886465421 15.58.17.4 2.377 7.9
2006 57,000 842440402 14.87.77.1 2.256 16.6
2007 57,000 853452401 15.17.97.2 2.299 10.6
2008 56,000 834428406 14.97.67.3 2.247 9.6
2009 56,000 895437458 16.07.88.2 2.359 4.5
2010 56,000 869504365 15.59.06.5 2.195 8.1
2011 57,000 821476345 14.48.36.1 2.117 11.0
2012 57,000 786459327 13.88.05.8 2.019 8.9
2013 56,000 820444376 14.67.96.7 2.077 8.5
2014 56,000 805461344 14.48.26.2 2.037 7.5
2015 56,000 854472382 15.28.46.8 2.132 10.5
2016 56,000 830487343 14.88.76.1 2.063 7.2
2017 56,000 853499354 15.28.96.3 2.127 7.0
2018 56,000 819487332 14.68.75.9 2.025 7.3
2019 56,000 849548301 15.29.85.4 2.117 11.8
2020 56,000 835520315 14.99.35.6 2.115 8.4
2021 57,000 761531230 13.49.34.1 1.820 14.5
2022 57,000 746525221 13.29.33.9 1.815 12.1

Structure of the population

Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.VII.2013) (Population statistics are compiled from registers.):[4]
Age Group Male Female Total %
Total 29 867 26 616 56 483 100
0–4 2 142 1 930 4 072 7.21
5–9 2 004 1 942 3 946 6.99
10–14 2 088 2 022 4 110 7.28
15–19 2 130 2 111 4 241 7.51
20–24 2 350 2 283 4 633 8.20
25–29 2 159 2 081 4 240 7.51
30–34 1 954 1 864 3 818 6.76
35–39 1 730 1 440 3 170 5.61
40–44 2 008 1 690 3 698 6.55
45–49 2 980 2 537 5 517 9.77
50–54 2 599 2 123 4 722 8.36
55–59 2 092 1 546 3 638 6.44
60–64 1 425 1 036 2 461 4.36
65–69 1 071 731 1 802 3.19
70–74 629 594 1 223 2.17
75–79 319 365 684 1.21
80–84 143 229 372 0.66
85–89 39 80 119 0.21
90–94 4 10 14 0.02
95–99 1 2 3 <0.01
Age group Male Female Total Percent
0–14 6 234 5 894 12 128 21.47
15–64 21 427 18 711 40 138 71.06
65+ 2 206 2 011 4 217 7.47
Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.VII.2021) (Population statistics are compiled from registers.): [5]
Age Group Male Female Total %
Total 29 855 26 798 56 653 100
0–4 2 058 1 987 4 045 7.14
5–9 1 994 1 855 3 849 6.79
10–14 1 991 1 840 3 831 6.76
15–19 1 851 1 760 3 611 6.37
20–24 1 972 1 943 3 915 6.91
25–29 2 363 2 268 4 631 8.17
30–34 2 398 2 338 4 736 8.36
35–39 2 096 1 902 3 998 7.06
40–44 1 793 1 517 3 310 5.84
45–49 1 630 1 289 2 919 5.15
50–54 2 215 1 922 4 137 7.30
55–59 2 577 2 174 4 751 8.39
60–64 2 108 1 615 3 723 6.57
65-69 1 285 992 2 277 4.02
70-74 776 618 1 394 2.46
75-79 485 433 918 1.62
80-84 194 219 413 0.73
85-89 52 92 144 0.25
90-94 13 29 42 0.07
95+ 4 5 9 0.02
Age group Male Female Total Percent
0–14 6 043 5 682 11 725 20.70
15–64 20 886 18 728 39 614 69.92
65+ 2 926 2 388 5 314 9.38

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 71.25 years
male: 68.6 years
female: 74.04 years (2012 est.)

Ethnic groups

Ethnic groups of Greenland (2018)[6]
Ethnic groups percent
Inuit
 
 89.7%
Danish
 
 7.8%
Other Nordic
 
 1.1%
Other
 
 1.4%
Significant minority groups[7]
NationalityPopulation (2020)
 Philippines373
 Thailand208
 Iceland128
 Sweden74
 Denmark (migrant workers, mainly businessmen)64
 China61
 Norway53
 Germany50
 USA47
 Poland39
 Canada20

The population of Greenland consists of Greenlandic Inuit (including mixed-race persons), Danish Greenlanders and other Europeans and North Americans. The Inuit population makes up approximately 85–90% of the total (2009 est.). 6,792 people from Denmark live in Greenland, which is 12% of its total population.

In recent years, Greenland experienced a significant increase in immigration from Asia, especially from the Philippines, Thailand, and China.

Languages

The only official language of Greenland is Greenlandic.[8] The number of speakers of Greenlandic is estimated at 50,000 (85–90% of the total population), divided in three main dialects, Kalaallisut (West-Greenlandic, 44,000 speakers and the dialect that is used as official language), Tunumiit (East-Greenlandic, 3,000 speakers) and Inuktun (North-Greenlandic, 800 speakers). The remainder of the population mainly speaks Danish; Inuit Sign Language is the language of the deaf community.

Religion

Most Greenlandic villages, including Nanortalik, have their own church.

The nomadic Inuit were traditionally shamanistic, with a well-developed mythology primarily concerned with propitiating a vengeful and fingerless sea Goddess who controlled the success of the seal and whale hunts.

The first Norse colonists were pagan, but Erik the Red's son Leif was converted to Catholic Christianity by King Olaf Trygvesson on a trip to Norway in 990 and sent missionaries back to Greenland. These swiftly established sixteen parishes, some monasteries, and a bishopric at Garðar.

Rediscovering these colonists and spreading the Protestant Reformation among them was one of the primary reasons for the Danish recolonization in the 18th century. Under the patronage of the Royal Mission College in Copenhagen, Norwegian and Danish Lutherans and German Moravian missionaries searched for the missing Norse settlements and began converting the Inuit. The principal figures in the Christianization of Greenland were Hans and Poul Egede and Matthias Stach. The New Testament was translated piecemeal from the time of the very first settlement on Kangeq Island, but the first translation of the whole Bible was not completed until 1900. An improved translation using the modern orthography was completed in 2000.[9]

Today, the major religion is Protestant Christianity, mostly members of the Lutheran Church of Denmark. While there is no official census data on religion in Greenland, the Lutheran Bishop of Greenland Sofie Petersen[10] estimated that 85% of the Greenlandic population were members of its congregation in 2009.[11] Estimates in 2022 put the figure at 93%.[12]

Spiral Case

In the 1960's and 70's, Greenland was subject to one of the most impactful eugenics programs ever implemented. At least 4,500 Inuit women were involuntarily implanted with IUD's without their knowledge or consent - about half the fertile population at the time. Within a generation, the birthrate declined by 50%, which led to multigenerational demographic effects. Public officials at the time blamed the decline in birthrate on poverty and cultural trends, but the extent of the involuntary program became public only in 2022 in an investigation known as the spiral case.[13]

References

  1. ↑ "PxWeb - Select table". bank.stat.gl. Retrieved 2023-10-09.
  2. ↑ United nations. Demographic Yearbooks
  3. ↑ "Grønlands Statistik". stat.gl.
  4. ↑ "United Nations Statistics Division - Demographic and Social Statistics". Archived from the original on 2004-09-21.
  5. ↑ "UNSD - Demographic and Social Statistics". unstats.un.org. Retrieved 2023-05-10.
  6. ↑ "North America: Greenland". CIA The World Factbook. 27 September 2021.
  7. ↑ http://bank.stat.gl/pxweb/en/Greenland/Greenland__BE__BE01__BE0120/BEXST6.px/table/tableViewLayout1/?rxid=BEXST618-05-2020%2005:26:26
  8. ↑ "Ethnolgue".
  9. ↑ Leif Kiil Sørensen (29 November 2000). "Grønlandsk bibel præsenteret | Kristeligt Dagblad". Kristeligt-dagblad.dk. Retrieved 6 September 2010.
  10. ↑ "Bells ring a wake-up call for climate justice." Archived 2012-03-25 at the Wayback Machine World Council of Churches. 14 December 2010. Retrieved 30 August 2010
  11. ↑ "Grønland, Grundloven og Gejstligheden" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 April 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  12. ↑ US State Dept 2022 report
  13. ↑ Murray, Adrienne (Sep 30, 2022). "Inuit Greenlanders demand answers over Danish birth control scandal". British Broadcasting Corporation.
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