Greenland: the 60-second guide

Its geography, history, and the best times to go
Houses are painted in bright colours in the town of Ilulissat in western Greenland. Photograph: Bob Strong, Reuters/Corbis Bob Strong/ Bob Strong /Reuters/Corbis

Greenland is the world's largest island that is not a continent in its own right. If it was a fully independent country – it's officially part of Denmark – it would be the world's least densely populated. Over two-thirds of the land mass is a vast ice sheet, and most of the towns and settlements are on the ice-free western coast. The capital, Nuuk, has a population of around 15,000. The closest land mass is Canada, although, politically, Greenland has always been associated with Europe.


First colonised in the 10th century by Icelanders and Norwegians, Greenland became part of Norway in the 13th century, then part of Denmark when the two countries formed a union in 1380. When the Union was dissolved in 1814, Greenland – along with Iceland and the Faroe Islands – became part of the Kingdom of Denmark. Increasing resentment of Danish rule has led to a gradual move towards independence. Granted home rule in 1979, Greenland achieved greater autonomy from Denmark after a referendum in 2008 and, since June last year, has been self-governing in judicial affairs, policing and natural resources.


Much of the 57,600 population is of Inuit descent; around 12% have Danish ancestry.


Danish and Greenlandic (Kalaallisut) are both widely spoken, although since June 2009, Greenlandic is the official language.


Heavily reliant on fishing, whaling and textiles, Greenland pulled out of the European Community in 1985 due to restrictions on fishing and seal hunting.


The best time is March-May, after the coldest weather and before the arrival of the summer mosquitoes. Spring is a time of festivals, as towns and villages celebrate the return of the sun. The best times to see the northern lights are from August to mid-December and from mid-February to early April. Daytime temperatures can reach 18C, although in the winter, even in the south, an average of -20C is not unusual.