Country profile
Greenland
North America · Northern America · Americas
GL · GRL
- Capital
- Nuuk
- Population
- 56,542
- Area
- 2,166,086 km²
- Democracy index
- 94
- Regime type
- Robust Democracy
Events
Ballots from Greenland
The latest elections, referendums, and opinion polls from Greenland. Community totals are not official results.
No published ballots yet
No public ballots yet
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Classification
Democracy profile
The score and regime label are assigned by Porto Voto using our in-house democracy index and classification framework, not ratings from governments or external agencies.
Democracy index
94/100
Regime type
Robust Democracy
Greenland operates as a self governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, maintaining a mature and stable parliamentary democracy. The political system is characterized by highly competitive, free, and fair elections, where political power is transferred peacefully between parties. The judiciary operates with complete independence, and the rule of law is firmly established, providing a reliable framework for civil liberties and the protection of individual rights. While the territory manages unique challenges related to its small population, geographic isolation, and the complex process of negotiating greater administrative autonomy from Copenhagen, these issues are addressed through transparent, institutional processes. The culture of public engagement is robust, and the government remains highly accountable to its citizens, upholding the high standards of democratic practice consistent with its Nordic legal heritage.
Last evaluation:
How we classify regimes →World Factbook
Country background
A concise introduction to Greenland, together with notes on how power and law are organized, to put local ballots in context.
Greenland, the world's largest island, is about 80% ice capped. The Inuit came to Greenland from North America in a series of migrations that stretched from 2500 BC to the11th century. Vikings reached the island in the 10th century from Iceland; Danish colonization began in the 18th century, and Greenland became part of the Kingdom of Denmark in 1953.
It joined the European Community (now the EU) with Denmark in 1973 but withdrew in 1985 over a dispute centered on stringent fishing quotas. Greenland remains a member of the EU's Overseas Countries and Territories Association. The Danish parliament granted Greenland home rule in 1979; the law went into effect the following year.
Greenland voted in favor of self-government in 2008 and acquired greater responsibility for internal affairs when the Act on Greenland Self-Government was signed into law in 2009. The Kingdom of Denmark, however, continues to exercise control over several policy areas on behalf of Greenland, including foreign affairs, security, and financial policy, in consultation with Greenland's Self-Rule Government.