Map of Greenland in comparison to world:

Map of Iceland in comparison to world:

If you look above at the world map, you can see that Greenland and Iceland are practically in the same place, which one might think they would be practically the same, but little do you know that is not true! Although these two countries do share similarities, the vast differences outweigh the similarities. Differences in nearly every aspect of the countries including population density, size, GDP, landscape, language, and so much more make these two nations extremely different. So do not be fooled by the geographic location, continue reading to see how different these two places really are!

Greenland: The large country of Greenland, off the coast of Canada is much different than the name says. Greenland’s location is in the Atlantic Ocean at the coordinates 71.7069° N, 42.6043° W. The country is much larger than Iceland and farther north. While Iceland compares to the size of the state of New York, Greenland is over 18x as big as New York. The country is about 1300 miles off the coast of the North Pole, the furthest north land area on the globe. This is about the same distance the coast of California is to Texas, meaning not very far. Most of the cities sit on the lower west coast with only one territory sitting on the upper half of the country, which differs from Iceland, who has settlements and cities across the nation. Almost all the cities sit on ports of the coast with very little people living in the middle of the country. These cities often are small and 2-3 stories tall with almost no high rises or crowding. They look almost like little villages as seen below. Although this country is large, the cities are tiny.

Greenland is a place that is very cold and much smaller than its large land size would suggest. As you can imagine being that far north is very cold, making Greenland more of an “icy” place compared to Iceland. The terrain of Greenland is rather barren, consisting of a rocky coast and icy deserts with little inhabitation. This differs from the fertile green terrain of Iceland, making tourists question why Greenland is not named Iceland. It is home to the highest point in the Artic, Gunnbjørn Fjeld, which sits in a narrow mountain range and is about 3,694 meters tall. The landscape also features the second largest ice sheet in the world after Antartica, this meaning a flat land area that is covered in ice, which accounts for 4/5 of the total land area. This area’s dimensions do change rapidly due to weather cycles including sunshine and large blizzards, but still remains the main terrain feature of the country. Due to the gulf stream, a current in the Atlantic Ocean, the south part of the country experiences nearly seventy-five inches of precipitation a year, while the north only experiences two. The country also bares much resemblance to Antartica through the species living on the land. Polar bears, reindeer, artic foxes, and other animals commonly found in snow spend their days roaming around the icy land. The people do differ from those of Antartica though, 9/10 of the population remains native Greenlander’s whom bare resemble to the eskimo population found in areas such as Siberia and Alaska. This also differs from the native Icelandic appearing to look like decedents of Scandinavia. This differs slightly from the 80% of native Icelander’s occupying Iceland. The other 1/10 are native Danish people, similar to myself. A majority of the Danish population of Greenland are born in Denmark and migrate to Greenland at a later time. These people often practice Lutheranism, a branch of Christianity commonly practiced in Denmark. Lutheranism is more densely practiced here than in Iceland, nearly 80% of the religion practiced falls under Christianity. Nearly 87% of the people of Greenland live in one of eighteen townships, these townships are not a form of urbanization due to the population growth rate being nearly 0%, people are not moving to these towns from other areas of the country. Life expectancy remains high at about 60-70 years of age compared to the rest of the world. This is about 10-20 years younger than the life expectancy of Iceland. The main source of export is fish and they have seen rises in tourist revenue since the turn of the century, but over half the jobs in the workforce are through the public sector. Since much of the land is on ice, agriculture is only an industry on 1% of the land meaning food from foreign countries is a huge import. The country also relies on exports of minerals, animal pelts, and oil as sources of revenue. The GDP (the gross domestic product) is about 2.607 billion, one of the smallest worldwide. Its neighboring country which is much smaller, Iceland has a GDP of nearly 24 billion. To compare Greenland to a landmass of similar size, Africa, which has a GDP of over 2.98 trillion dollars, we can see that Greenland has almost no exports and a very small economy. The government of Greenland is similar to Denmark meaning they are very progressive and participate in socialized economy which provides free health care and retirement to its citizens at a high tax rate. They are run by an elected parliament which is still partially controlled by the Danish government. To differ from Denmark, universities are not free and school is only provided through the first nine years of education which is often taught in Danish by Danish educated teachers. Although Greenland is a large country, they have a tiny population of only about 55,000 people which makes the population density small at .028 people per square kilometer. This is smaller than Iceland’s population even though Greenland is a larger country. To put this into perspective, Santa Barbara has nearly 220,000 people and a population density of 2,100 people per square mile.

So as you can see, Greenland really does not have a lot of people. So we ask ourselves, why is the population so small? or how are people living there? The human-environment interaction of Greenland is much different than anything we would experience here in sunny Southern California. The Greenlandic people depend on the environment for sources of income such as fishing and hunting animals. Since it is so cold there, people often live in small wooden houses. Small houses are desirable because they are cheaper and easier to heat than large houses would be. The houses often have electric heaters and a small outdoor tub that is heated by a wooden fire, similar to a hot tub. Greenland differs from the US in that most houses do not have running water and instead use chemical toilets and no shower. They use the outdoor hot tub to bath. People use wood to build houses because it is what they can find in their surroundings and because it helps insulate the house from the artic weather. These houses usually are placed within the 1/5 of the environment that is not covered in thick ice. These very much differ from the Icelandic modern houses. They people of Greenland do use the snowy environment as source of food through hunting polar bears and reindeer, but also often stay inside since the temperatures often reach low temperatures and blizzards occur often.

These people have little to no movements from township to township because roads, waterways, and railways do not connect the different areas. As a method of transportation, people boat from area to area or dog sled in the winter. For daily transport within a city, citizens do have cars but do not rely on these to travel farther. Helicopter or other air travel such as small planes is available between towns but is often expensive. The biggest company providing this is AirGreenland and often fly 40 person planes between the cities. People instead prefer larger ferry like boats along the west coast, or small fishing boats if the distance is short. Its a good thing communication travels much faster these days or the people of Greenland would be far behind on the times. This again differs much from the transportation options exsisting in Iceland, which are much more numerous. Newspapers, social media, and the internet connect Greenland to the rest of the world. Although English is commonly spoken, some text is still printed in Greenlandic, the native Greenland language, or Danish. The majority of social media is in English since Greenland has such a small population and is the only country who speaks Greenlandic. Although social media does make communication go a lot faster, only 20%-50% of the population is utilizing social media, another example of modernization seen in Greenland. According to a study done by Statscounter, only 50% of the population has a facebook while under 20% are utilizing other social media forms such as Instagram and Twitter. More information about social media usage and what the study found can be seen here: https://gs.statcounter.com/social-media-stats/all/greenland/2016.

This region is similar to several others.The landscape is similar to that of the Artic and Antartica due to the icy covered plains with little to no roads and a tiny population in comparison to the rest of the world. This region also bares resemblance to the country on its left, Canada, due to the similar living conditions and exports. In terms of political standing and the economy, Greenland is most closey related to its mother country, Denmark, and surrounding Scandinavian countries such as Sweden and Norway. Even the architecture of Greenland looks like something out of a Danish tourist guide. The colorful houses look just like they do in Copenhagen, Denmark’s capital. The Christian religion practiced widely throughout Greenland also fits with its similarity to Scandinavia. The Greenlandic language also is similar to other nordic languages and bares similar tones to Danish and Swedish. So although Greenland has many differences to its similar countries including a much smaller population, almost zero exports, and being mostly ice, they do share some similarities such as design and politics.

Iceland: Similar to Greenland, Iceland is a country that sits in the northern Atlantic Ocean. Although Iceland’s location is close to Greenland, it is much smaller and farther south which gives it a more moderate climate. Iceland is about the same size as the state of New York and is 109th in the ranking for the world’s largest country based on size. The country is about 40,000 square miles and sits at the coordinates of 64.9631° N, 19.0208° W. The country is about 750 miles off the coast of Greenland and about closer to the coast of Europe rather than the North America. The cities are positioned throughout the country much different than Greenland’s are. Instead of being along the west coast, the cities are spread out across the whole country, with settlements on every coast. Although the cities are more spread out, 3/5 of the population live in the capital city, Reykvaik. Another difference between Iceland and Greenland is that Iceland’s cities are bigger and more populated. This cities are much more densely populated and the buildings are taller as seen below.

Iceland is a place with much more to do and see than its neighboring country, Greenland, despite its small size. Unlike the middle of Greenland where almost no one goes, the country features a large centrally located national park called Vatnajökull National Park where people can enjoy views of glaciers and other natural sights. This national park is also home to Europe’s largest glacier, Vatnajökull (hence where the park got its name). Another difference between Iceland and Greenland is that Iceland features natural geysers which make agriculture possible and heat the climate immensely. Although Iceland has a bigger population than Greenland, it still has the smallest population in Europe and 80% of the country is still not inhabited. The terrain features Mountains, plateaus, glaciers, and fertile lowlands which differ from the ice sheet covered terrain of Greenland. The country lays on a volcanic bed with over 200 mini volcanoes, which both heat the land and cause dried lava to cover about 1/10 of the land. It is even estimated that over 1/3 of the total volcanic lava worldwide has been poured out over Iceland. Iceland is also covered in hot springs such as the Blue Lagoon, one of its largest tourist spots, to see how the Icelandic have made natural areas large tourist destinations please visit https://iceland.nordicvisitor.com/. Similar to Greenland, the center of the country is not inhabited and instead sued for farming. The climate is similar to Greenland’s cold and windy weather most of the year since Iceland is also so far north, but it is warmer less icy. The temperature ranges from 31 degrees in the winter to about 51 degrees in the summer, meaning it rarely gets warm. Iceland also differs from Greenland because they have a larger variety of wild animals roaming the country. Animals including Icelandic horses, Icelandic sheep, puffins, cattle, and goats are found on the plains. Iceland has a population of about 330,000 people and a population density 9 people per square mile, both larger than Greenland. The people of Iceland are often of Scandinavian decent, but have many native Icelander’s. About 80% of the population is native Icelander’s whose families have been in Iceland for a long time. Although Iceland does have a larger population than Greenland, Iceland has experienced much more emigration to other countries such as Canada and the United States than Greenland has. People often leave due to weather or unfavorable conditions. The life expectancy of the country is higher than Greenland at about 82 years of age due to Iceland having a much higher standard of living. These people differ in culture from Scandinavia more than Greenland does, for example many people still believe in a mythical religion which includes elves, trolls, and a mythical landscape. The country does have freedom of religion but 2/3 of the population remains Lutheran. The economy is similar to that of Greenland with fishing being a main export, but is much more diverse than the Greenlandic economy. Iceland has a much larger tourist income since 95% of the population lives in urban settlements due to the urbanization taking place since 1944, there is a lot more to do, they also have much more exports such as dairy and aluminum. The country also has many people working in the finance industry and it is an important country on the global stock trade. The GDP is about 24 billion dollars and the economic growth is at a rate much higher than Greenland. Although Iceland is a small country and has much more natural resources than most countries do, it produces more greenhouse gas emissions than any other nation, a huge environmental issue they face. Iceland is similar to Greenland and Denmark in terms of the way the government is run. They utilize a democracy with elected officials and progressive measures. The country is divided into 17 provinces and each are governed separately even though they all fall under a national government. Similar to Greenland, higher education is not free, but is more widely available. Education through the age of 16 is free and then students can go to a four year college that guarantees them admission to the University of Reykjavík.

The human-environment interaction in Iceland is much different and more modernized than Greenland. Over 4/5 of the houses in Iceland were newly built since the countries independence from Denmark in 1944. Housing is a huge investment market for people in Iceland due to high levels of inflation and housing shortages. To differ from the use of minimal resources and wood built houses in Greenland, Iceland’s “turf” houses have a more natural appearance due to the use of stones and soil to build. They use the turf and soil to seal insolation between the slabs of stone similar to the design from 100s of years ago. These houses often have the front painted a bright color, similar to Greenlandic and Scandinavian design. Houses that are in more urban areas typically are small and have central heating and running water. They often feature very modern architecture and design that make them stand out from nature that feature large glass windows to see the landscape. Icelandic horseback riding from wild horses has also became very popular among the people. Iceland also has a dense culture that allows many people to participate in a variety of sports such chess, kayaking, and handball; they even hosted the Olympic Games one year. People utilize the environment through mining minerals, exporting fish and dairy, and through creating tourist opportunities to see the natural sights including the phenomena of the Northern Lights. To read more about this phenomena please visit https://www.northernlightscentre.ca/northernlights.html.

Movement in Iceland also differs vastly from Greenland. Roads exist throughout the country allowing people to travel from city to city by car. Public transit also is much more present throughout the cities which allows those without vehicles to travel within their city. The country has only one international airport located near the capital but has many small domestic airports for everyday travel. To differ from Greenland, boat routes are not very widely used and are often closed during winter due to to much ice. When in the city, citizens and tourists often walk or bike from place to place or take the bus. Taxi, Uber, and Lyft are also modern methods of transportation widely used. As you can tell, transportation in Iceland is much easier than Greenland. Similar to Greenland, communication moves fast through social media and the internet. Iceland has much more of a social media presence than Greenland does at about 76% of the population utilizing Facebook but much less on sites such as instagram and twitter which both have less than 10% of the population using. Social media use in Iceland has also declined since 2019 while Greenland’s usage has risen. Instead many people utilize the app “Houseparty” which allows for communication with a lot of people at one time. Iceland also has an easier time communicating internationally since their phones are often routed to a satellite allowing for faster talking and data for Icelandic people.

Iceland as a region shows many similarities to other countries around the world. The terrain is similar to that of New Zealand, an island off the coast of Australia. The vast greenery, mineral deposits, and soil fertility show many similar characteristics to New Zealand. The climate and weather share similarities to both Greenland and several countries in Northern Europe due to how far north Iceland is. The weather is similar to that of Denmark and Sweden expect colder. The animals and plants are less artic than that of Greenland and share similar traits to animals naturally found in Scotland and New Zealand. The agriculture rich plains bear resemblance to rural Netherlands in terms of the farming and appearance also. In terms of the people and the culture, Iceland is similar to Northern European countries. The progressive and free democracy bares resemblance to Iceland’s mother country Denmark. The religion and folk can be compared to Ireland and Scotland in terms of the mythical folktale religions still practiced but also bare resemblance to Denmark in the Lutheranism practiced. Similar to Greenlandic, Icelandic is still the main language of Iceland even though many people speak English. The cooperate economy is often in English as it is in many small countries since no where else in the world speaks Icelandic. The culture in Iceland although very unique features many similar traits to those of Denmark since Iceland was part of Denmark for many years. In terms of food for example, herring is a specialty in both places. architecture also are very similar to Greenlandic and Scandinavian design. The modern houses look like they come right from a Scandinavian design/architecture magazine, for photos please visit https://theculturetrip.com/europe/iceland/articles/these-inspiring-decor-ideas-are-beautifully-icelandic/. Design and Although Iceland is small country, it has a lot of heart and is an influential area.

Greenland and Iceland

Although both Greenland and Iceland could be perceived as very similar due to a variety of factors, they differ greatly. These countries are similar due to their geographic location and proximity to each other, the fact they are both islands, and their Danish descent. They rest in between Europe and North America in the Atlantic Ocean, just under the north pole. They also have a similar flat landscape and similar traits of native islanders. They also differ much more than one would think. For example, Greenland is a much bigger island but has a smaller population than Iceland does. Greenland, even though it is called GREENland, is actually much more icy and cold than Iceland. This was a result of Europe attempting to protect Iceland during warfare. Iceland, because farther south has warmer temperature which is much more desirable for people to both live and visit. Iceland also has a much larger tourist presence, a main reason being the ability to see the Northern Lights. Greenland also has a cheaper economy than Iceland by nearly 3.4%. Although these two countries are similar, they differ more than one would imagine. 

Sources: (I put 4 because I was not sure about National Geographic)

“Country Profile – Distinguishing Factors (Iceland).” European Environment Agency, 21 Mar. 2015, http://www.eea.europa.eu/soer/countries/is/country-introduction-iceland.

Haarberg, Orsolya, and Pete Ryan. “Is Iceland Really Green and Greenland Really Icy?” National Geographic, 30 June 2016, http://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2016/06/iceland-greenland-name-swap/.

Rasmussen, Rasmus Ole. “Greenland.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 7 Aug. 2019, http://www.britannica.com/place/Greenland.

“The World Factbook: Greenland.” Central Intelligence Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, http://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/print_gl.html.

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