Could Greenland spark a catastrophe? Yesterday, Greenlanders voted to choose their next leaders. They could just change the future of their country too.
The battle for Earth’s largest island
Fateful choice: The Demokraatit party, which favours a gradual approach to independence, looks set to declare victory in Greenland’s general election today. Naleraq, the opposition party which wants to start divorce proceedings from Denmark and have closer ties with the US, is a close second. Glossary
Greenland - An island country in North America that is part of the Kingdom of Denmark. It lies between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Greenland is the world's largest island.
Donald Trump - An American politician, media personality, and businessman serving as the 47th president of the United States since January 2025. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the 45th president from 2017 to 2021.
Erik the Red - A Norse explorer who probably had red hair. Sagas suggest he was born in Norway and lived in Iceland before being expelled and exploring Greenland.
Iceland - A volcanic island just south of the Arctic Circle. Its parliament, the "Althing", is thought to be the oldest in the world, dating from 930.
Kalaallit - A Greenlandic Inuit ethnic group. They speak Kalaallisut, also known as Greenlandic.
Indigenous - Ethnic groups who are the original or earliest-known inhabitants of an area or country: for example, Native Americans in the USA.
Denmark - A country in Northern Europe. It is where Lego was first invented.
Scandinavian - Region of northern Europe, the word refers to the people and culture of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. Other countries like Finland and Iceland are sometimes referred to by the same term.
Election - A vote in which someone is chosen to represent a group of people.