Denmark is by no means a large country measuring around 42,933 sq. km but interestingly it’s been named the world’s 12th largest and here’s why.
Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, a sovereign state consisting of Denmark and its two autonomous regions, the Faroe Islands and Greenland.
Greenland measures a whopping 2,166,086 sq. km, making it 50 times larger than Denmark and still remains a Danish territory to this day. Iceland, on the other hand, is under a common monarch with Denmark but became a sovereign state back in 1918.
As such, Denmark with its two regions combined, makes it the 12th largest country in the world.
“Although part of the North American continent, geopolitically the island is part of Europe,” explains Nordic Corporation.
It continued: “Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark but has wide-ranging autonomy, which was extended in 2009.”
During the Napoleonic Wars, intense hostility between Sweden and Denmark saw the Treaty of Kiel being signed.
As a result of this treaty, Denmark resumed its full sovereignty over Greenland making the country a territory, not independent nor part of Denmark.
Greenland to Denmark is like Scotland to the United Kingdom and is therefore not independent from Denmark.
However, according to a 2008, roughly three quarters of Greelanders voted for more autonomy from Denmark.
Denmark has since relinquished most of its claim to the country’s resources with most Greenlanders – around 57,000 people – also believing that one day they’ll be independent from Denmark.
In order to keep the peace among the two nations, Denmark gives over half a billion dollars in aid to Greenland each year.
There is no floating currency, no defense force or any seats at the UN from Greenland and relies solely on Denmark.
Speaking to The Financial Times, Greenland’s prime minister said the country could become financially independent of Denmark ‘easily within my lifetime’.
But currently Greenland has taken no steps to ensure such independence from Denmark.
For this reason, Denmark remains one of the world’s biggest nation-states and is, according to the World Factbook, the twelfth largest country in the world – the same rank held by Greenland alone.
