Greenland, the basics
This is Greenland’s rank among the world’s islands in terms of size.
What is the largest island in the world?
While talking about acquiring Greenland, Donald Trump refused to rule out its use.
What is the use of military force?
Greenland’s general position between these two continents makes it strategically important.
What are Europe and North America?
This global environmental phenomenon is causing Arctic ice to melt and changing Greenland’s importance.
What is global warming?
Greenland is described as a “natural treasure trove” mainly because it holds large reserves of these.
What are minerals?
Greenland’s population is around this number of inhabitants.
What is about 56,000–57,000 people?
This 20th‑century US president offered to buy Greenland after World War II.
Who is Harry S. Truman?
This US military installation in Greenland, once a key Cold War base and now a space base, is America’s northernmost military site.
What is the Pituffik Space Base?
As Arctic ice melts, this happens to global ocean levels, increasing the risk of flooding.
What is sea level rise?
These specific minerals are said to be “vital for the global economy” and essential for semiconductors and EV batteries.
What are rare earth elements?
Most of Greenland’s population belongs to this Indigenous group.
Who are the Inuit?
This is the amount of money Truman offered for Greenland.
What is 100 million dollars in gold?
During this historical period, Greenland became critical for US defense and early warning against Soviet attacks.
What is the Cold War?
A sea voyage from Europe to Japan currently takes about this many days via traditional routes.
What is around 22 days?
Besides semiconductors and electric vehicle batteries, rare earth elements are also critical for this sector of state power.
What is military technology?
Greenland is part of this European kingdom.
What is the Kingdom of Denmark?
This is the reason why US forces first took control of Greenland.
What is the occupation of Denmark by the Nazis during WWII?
The radar in the US base in Greenland serves primarily this defensive purpose regarding Russian ballistic missiles.
What is to provide early warning of an incoming attack?
If ships pass through the Arctic instead, the Europe–Japan voyage could be reduced to about this many days.
What is around 10 days?
This country currently dominates global production of rare earth elements.
What is China?
In 1953, Greenlanders obtained this status within Denmark, which included the right to self-determination.
What is Danish citizenship?
Trump’s wish to acquire Greenland has been compared to this 19th‑century American belief that the United States was destined by God to expand its territory.
What is Manifest Destiny?
Trump justifies his desire to control Greenland by talking about defending this political concept.
What is “the Free World”?
This is the major economic advantage for shipping companies if new Arctic routes near Greenland become reliably ice‑free.
What is saving time, fuel and money by using much shorter sea routes?
One of Trump’s strategic aims in focusing on Greenland’s resources is to reduce this kind of dependence on Beijing.
What is dependence on Chinese rare earth supplies?