Greenland Isn't What You Think

Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe (specifically Norway and later Denmark) for more than a millennium.^[6] In 2008, the people of Greenland passed a referendum supporting greater autonomy; 75% of votes cast were in favour. Greenland is, in area, the world's largest island,^[7] over three-quarters of which is covered by the only contemporary ice sheet outside of Antarctica. With a population of 56,370^[4] (2013), it is the least densely populated country in the world.<sup>[8]  

Thank you Wikipedia.

Greenland was named Greenland so that people would migrate to Greenland and keep Iceland a secret. Greenland was mostly uninhabitable but the Canadians, Inuit and Norse fought the elements and has inhabited it for 4500 years. If you want the real history of Greenland go to Wikipedia.

There is all sorts of interesting information out there on the internet about Greenland and how to get there, what to do when you arrive etc. I want to share some pictures of Greenland.</sup>

 

The communities are speckled through out the island. I would imagine that the colorful houses are for a very good reason. So the settlers could find their homes. During the winter they unmeasurable moments of Daylight September thru March but during the summer April thru August it is 24 hours. They have a high rate of suicide during the summer because of insomnia.

 

Isn't this amazing.

The Greenland Shark is the second biggest shark in the world.  The Greenland Shark Challenge is a four-day ice fishing competition for anglers who compete in March on the frozen sea around Uummannaq in North Greenland. The ice is typically a half to a whole metre thick (1½-3 feet), and on this stable sea ice you can see frozen icebergs – a landscape that is both peaceful and dramatic and which provides the perfect setting for the challenge of getting the biggest Greenland shark on the hook. 

Facts about the Greenland Shark

With a length of up to 6.5 metres (21 feet) and a weight that can be as high as 600 kilos (1300lbs) the Greenland shark is not just Greenland's biggest fish, but also something of a challenge for any intrepid angler. The Greenland shark typically lives at depth of 400-600 metre (1300-2000 feet) but during winter months it can also be found in shallow bays and at the mouths of large fjord complexes. Participants in the Greenland Shark Challenge follow the principles of throwing back the catch - unless the shark caught is of record dimensions. 

Source: http://www.shvoong.com/humanities/1694928-greenland-shark-challenge/#ixzz39yhxRfRh

Pictures of the midnight sun. It is beautiful but I can understand the reasons for suicide during the summer months.

 Summer

Wow look at how close it is to the Arctic Circle. 

The Ice Sheet Melt. Has the damage already be done?

Greenland has been known for their Northern Lights and with this picture I can see why!

 

And of course, the whales and other marine mammals that visit the island. If you decide to go there Whale Watching should be at the top of your list. I suggest that if you go make it the summer months. It could get quite warm 20C or 60F. Greenland has it's own language. It's called Greenlandic which is an polysynthetic language deriving from the Eskimos. I suggest that you learn a few words before you go or maybe Rossetta Stone