1 MARTINDALE CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF PRIVATE ENTERPRISE Denmark, Greenland, and the Arctic Emma N. Chiusano As a constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark, Greenland provides Denmark with a claim to the Arctic. Independence has been long debated in Greenland, posing a continuing risk for Denmark. With geopolitical strife intensifying in the Arctic, Denmark must invest in its relationship with Greenland or risk losing its status as an Arctic nation. This article examines the relationship between Denmark and Greenland, specifically as it pertains to the Arctic. Introduction Because Greenland is a country within the Kingdom of Denmark, certain aspects of the Greenlandic government are controlled by the sovereign nation of Denmark, namely foreign, defense, and security policies. Greenland’s lack of total autonomy is not well received by its citizenry, which resents Denmark using Greenland as their sole claim to the Arctic. A call for independence has existed in Greenland for decades, and having little say in Arctic affairs amplifies the movement, leaving Denmark in a quandary: trying to delegate as much power as necessary without giving up total control. It is essential to examine this complex relationship in the context of the Arctic, as a “race for the Arctic” has existed for decades but recently intensified. The current remilitarization of the Arctic has sparked competition between Arctic nations and ignited the interest of non-Arctic countries, such as China, that desire power in the region. The Arctic is also increasingly studied because of climate change leading to melting Arctic ice, opening new shipping routes and creating access to unmined materials. As security councils are formed, claims to Arctic land and waters are disputed, and valuable resources are discovered, Denmark must be an active player in the Arctic and gain as much control as possible. The independence movement in Greenland, paired with collaborations with outside powers such as the United States and China, leaves Denmark in a precarious position. The former nation is important because Denmark considers the US an invaluable strategic ally and bases policy decisions around the relationship. The latter is important, since it can potentially increase the risk of Greenlandic independence. Danish self-interest points to the necessity of formalizing an acceptable collaboration with Greenland, thereby ensuring the country remains within the Kingdom’s formal orbit. Failure to do so means Denmark would lose its claim to the Arctic and any accompanying relevance on the world stage. The Denmark–Greenland relationship The relationship between Denmark and Greenland can be characterized by a lack of trust. Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland) is the world’s largest noncontinental island, boasting an area of 836,300 mi2. The first settlers to arrive in Greenland were Inuits from what is now known as Canada. They utilized the narrow straight formed by the freezing of Baffin Bay to arrive in present-day Thule around 2500 bce. Between then and the ninth century ce, six subsequent migrations of Inuits arrived. Norse settlers, led by Erik the Red, arrived in 982 ce. The Greenlandic Inuits lived in peace until the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries when expeditions from England and Norway arrived in Greenland. Among the most prominent of these was in 1721, when Hans Egede, a missionary from the joint Kingdom of Denmark–Norway, arrived in what is now known as Nuuk and successfully converted Inuits to Christianity (Visit Greenland., n.d.). In 1729, Greenland formally fell under Danish rule. The two coexisted off the world stage until 1941, when the US established air and navy bases in Greenland after the start of World War II. Denmark fell under Nazi occupation during that time and temporarily lost contact with Greenland (Lambert, 2022). After World War II, meaningful political and economic changes occurred, which shaped the Denmark–Greenland relationship into what it is today. In 1953, Greenland became a province of Denmark rather than a colony, and in 1966, the Bank of Greenland was founded. In 1973, Denmark and Greenland joined the European Union (EU). However, after Greenland was granted home rule in 1979, it quickly
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