Top5 Amazing Facts About Greenland That Will Shock You

In this article we will discover amazing facts about Greenland. Greenland is thw world’s largest island that the US has repeatedly tried to buy. It has no highways or railroads, and over 80% of the land is restricted. Greenland is not a single culture but has different worlds. So let’s begin.

5) Midnight Sun

One of the amazing facts about Greenland is that in Greenland, from late May to late July, there is a time when the sun does not set, known as the midnight sun. This occurs because of the Earth’s tilt and Greenland’s location near the Arctic Circle. Specifically, from May 25th to July 25th, sunlight is constant, only skimming the horizon in a soft golden glow.

The peak of this phenomenon is on June 21st, the summer solstice, celebrated as the festival of light. During this time, people enjoy outdoor activities like BBQs, sunbathing, and music under the sun, although many need sleep masks to manage the constant daylight.

4) Ownership

One of the amazing facts about Greenland is that in Greenland, no one can buy or own land. All land is owned by the state, meaning that regardless of who you are, you cannot have private ownership. Residents and foreigners are granted leases from the government that may last for decades, which can be passed to children but are not permanent. For example, renting a small house in Nuuk costs between $900 and $1,200 monthly, while opening a souvenir shop can cost up to $2,500 plus fees. Foreigners also face additional paperwork to ensure they won’t claim the land as their own.

3) No Roads And Railways

One of the amazing facts about Greenland is that Greenland is a vast area with no roads or railways connecting its towns, making travel between them impossible by car. Despite its large size, including being bigger than Mexico, even its capital, Nuuk, lacks roads to other cities. Residents do not drive to visit others but instead use boats, helicopters, or snowmobiles in winter. Greenland has over 60 airports and helports for travel. As of 2023, there are only about 2,570 cars in the entire country, which is fewer than in a small neighborhood of Los Angeles, and many people own boats instead of cars.

2) Purest Air And Water

One of the amazing facts about Greenland is that Greenland has the purest air and water in the world, free from car exhaust, fine dust, and contaminants. With a small population of under 60,000 and minimal heavy industry, it produces almost no urban emissions, resulting in nearly zero PM2.5 levels in many areas. Meltwater streams are clear enough to drink from directly, as Inuit people often do.

Visitors in villages like Kulusuk and Tasilak are encouraged to taste the glacier water. Meanwhile, some European companies bottle this water and sell it for over $100 a liter, while locals use it for everyday tasks.

1) Area

One of the amazing facts about Greenland is that over 80% of Greenland is off-limits, covering over 660,000 square miles, which is twice the size of Texas. This area features a thick permanent ice sheet that makes it extremely cold and dangerous. Even military and experienced researchers avoid the deep central regions known as the absolute white zone. There are no GPS signals, maps, or human footprints for thousands of years, making exploration very risky due to sudden ice collapses.

Greenland is mostly covered in ice, with about 80 to 85% of its land having permanent ice that is over a mile thick. The name “Greenland” comes from a Viking named Eric the Red, who named it to attract settlers from Iceland in the 10th century. He believed the name sounded more appealing than the actual icy conditions. Even after more than 1,000 years, Greenland still lacks forests, although some cold-resistant shrubs have been planted in a few southern areas.