The land of ice - Greenland
Introduction
Of the three climatic zones, the Frigid Zone is the coldest on the earth because of the sunlight being very slanting. This zone is located within the two circles around the poles, so it is also called the polar region. Many parts of the region are permanently covered with ice. The northern parts of Europe, Asia and North America are located in the North Frigid Zone. Greenland, the largest island in the world, is also located here. Antarctica is located in the South Frigid Zone, but it is dry, icy, windy and cold, so no one other than a few scientists and tourists live there.
Greenland
Location
Greenland is an autonomous province of Denmark and is the third largest territory in North America. It is situated near the North Pole, only about 650 km away. Its total area is about 21,75,600 square km and it is just 16 km away from Canada. Cape Morris Jesup, which is the northern-most point of land in the world, is also located in Greenland.
Greenland is divided into five municipalities. It does not have an independent seat at the United Nations (UN).
Relief Features
Greenland, the world’s largest island, has low mountains along the coast and mostly flat terrain. Its highest point is Gunnbjorn Fjeld, standing at 12,139 ft. About 80% of the island is permanently covered by an ice-cap that’s on average 1.6 km thick, with some parts reaching up to 3.2 km. The ice-cap creates icebergs that can break off and float in the ocean, posing a risk to ships as only a small part is visible above water.
Climate And Natural Vegetation
Climate
Greenland has very low temperatures throughout the year, with an average temperature below freezing point. Winter temperatures can drop as low as -47°C. In winter, the sun is mostly absent, causing complete darkness for many days. During summer, the sun shines for many consecutive days, providing some respite from the cold. However, even in summer, the temperature is much colder than North India during winter.
Climate change is affecting the thick ice sheet here, which is melting faster than before. If ice melts, the sea level will rise, drowning many coastal areas in the world.
Natural Vegetation
Greenland is covered in ice during the winter, which means that no vegetation can grow. However, during the summer months when there is some respite from the cold, mosses, lichens, shrubs and grasses can be seen. Additionally, there are some colourful flowers, blue berries and cranberries that grow on the island.
Wildlife
Despite lack of natural vegetation, Greenland is gifted with some unique wildlife. Many fur-bearing animals are found here which can withstand extreme cold. The important species of wildlife are wolf, reindeer, polar bear, musk ox, Arctic fox, hare, wolverine and lemming. A wolf-like dog called husky is also found here.
Greenland is home to various water animals and birds. The cold waters beneath the ice are inhabited by seals, whales, and walruses. Birds such as ducks, geese, waders, skuas, and loons can also be found here. In the summer, many birds migrate to Greenland for breeding and feeding, making it an interesting place for birdwatchers.
Greenland has the world’s largest national park which is located most northerly. Its name is the Northeast Greenland National Park. It is larger than several countries of the world.
Lifestyle
Greenland has a population of around 76.19K, and the original inhabitants are the Eskimos, also known as Inuit. They have adapted to the harsh climate and live in the northwest part of the island. Most of them have now merged with the Europeans and are called Greenlanders. They have a yellowish-brown skin, high cheekbones and narrow black eyes. They lead primitive life and wear clothes made from animal skins. Their clothes are common for all men, women and children and consist of a hooded jacket called parka, double trousers, and high boots. They like to decorate their clothes with beads, fur and animal parts like toenails.
The winter season is the challenging time for the Eskimos. They display their art of building igloos. An igloo is made of blocks of ice cemented together with snow. Presently, they also build their houses using stone, wood and animal skin. They use whale-rib bones and grass to make the roof. Such houses are known as sod houses. In summer, the Eskimos live in skin tents, called tou pigs.
Fishing and hunting are the chief occupations of the Eskimos. They are expert hunters ho hunt whales, musk oxen, walruses and polar bears. To hunt a seal, they dig a hole in the ice and wait nearby for a seal to come around. A harpoon is their main hunting weapon. It is a spear with a rope attached to it. Now, rifles have mostly replaced harpoons.
People speak Greenlandic and Danish; most people can speak both languages. There is a tradition of singing and art in Greenland. Some popular music bands are also working there. The popular sports ther include football, track and field, handball and skiing.
Occupations and Industries
Fishing is the main occupation of Greenlanders. Fish processing is a major source of employment; almost every third Greenlander is employed in it. People catch fish for export. This is canned, frozen or salted before export. The important varieties of fish found here include cod, halibut, salmon, shrimp and wolf fish.
In summer months, people are also engaged in sheep-rearing and vegetation-farming.
Ship-building is another major industry of Greenland.
Greenland also has abundant minerals like iron, uranium, aluminium, nickel etc., so mining is gradually expanding here.
Transport
The Eskimos use kayaks and umiaks as boats for transport in Greenland. Kayaks are small boats made from the skin of sea animals, while the larger umiaks are used for fishing. They also use sledges, pulled by reindeer or huskies, as a means of transport. In modern times, motorised boats and sledges are becoming increasingly common. Greenland is also connected to North American and European cities by air.
Development
Science and technology have helped to improve the quality of life in Greenland. They now have access to electricity supply. Schools, hospitals and clubs can be seen around. Compulsory education has been introduced for children up to the age of 14 years.Motor-boats have mostly replaced boats for fishing. Some industrial units have been set up which deal in fur, mining and oil drilling. Electricity is produced mainly from water.
Important Cities
Godthab, also known as Nuuk, is the capital and largest city of Greenland. Almost one-third population of Greenland lives in this city. It is connected to Iceland by air. Now it is planning to have air connectivity to Europe and America. It has an important harbour which remains ice-free round the year. There is shipping service to Denmark from here.
Sisimiut, formerly known as Holsteinberg, is the second largest city in Greenland. It is a port town with a large shipyard. It is an important fishing and industrial town of Greenland.