The Probert Encyclopaedia of Places of the World

GREENLAND

Greenland is the world's largest island. It is in the north Atlantic ocean, situated on the north-east of the continent of North America, from which it is separated by Davis's Straits, Baffin's Bay, and Smith's Sound.. Greenland has a total area of 2,175,600 km2. The climate is arctic to sub-arctic. Like the northern parts of North America generally, Greenland is colder than the corresponding latitudes on the east side of the Atlantic. In June and July the sun is constantly above the horizon, the ice on the coast is broken up and floats southward, and a few small lakes are opened; but the short summer is followed by a long' and dreary winter.. The terrain ranges from flat to a gradually sloping ice-cap which covers all but a narrow, mountainous, barren, rocky coast which is lined with numerous islands, and deeply penetrated by fiords. Natural resources are comprised of zinc, lead, iron ore, coal, molybdenum, cryolite, uranium, fish. The religion is Evangelical Lutheran. The languages spoken are Inuit dialects and Danish.

Greenland was discovered by an Icelander named Guunbjorn about 876 or 877. It was colonized from Iceland about end of 10th century, and other Scandinavians followed. In 1264 it was politically united with Norway, and about the middle of the 14th century possessed two flourishing colonies on the west coast, named West Bygd and East Bygd. These settlements, however, gradually disappeared from history, and the expeditions sent by Denmark in 1585, 1606, 1636, 1654, and 1670 for the purpose of finding the colony were unsuccessful. Various relics, inscriptions, etc have been found. In the reign of Elizabeth I Frobisher and Davis rediscovered the coast, but nothing was done to explore it until the Danish government in 1721 assisted Hans Egede, a clergyman, to establish a European mission settlement, Good Hope which was successfully carried on by him and his son. Whale-fisheries were established on the coast by the English and Dutch about 1590. The interior of the country in the south was first crossed from east to west by Nansen in 1888. the American explorer Commander Peary was engaged in exploring the northern parts of Greenland at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century.

Greenland is a town in Washington County, Arkansas, USA.
Greenland is a township in McCook County, South Dakota, USA.
Greenland is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, USA.
Greenland is a township in Barnes County, North Dakota, USA.
Greenland is a township in Ontonagon County, Michigan, USA.
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