The world’s largest island, Greenland, has recently been gaining increased attention due to political statements, especially those originating from the United States. While Greenland is a self-governing autonomous territory, it remains part of the Kingdom of Denmark, which means that the Danish government retains authority over major governance and international relations. Greenland is situated in a highly strategic location—on the shortest route from North America to Europe. Beyond Europe, it is also a gateway to the Arctic, making it no surprise that it has caught the interest of the United States, a crucial partner for Denmark in both trade and geopolitics. This further complicates the consequences of statements and claims originating from across the Atlantic.
Greenland’s geographical position in the Arctic Circle is pivotal in understanding the long-term plans of global powers. Although three-quarters of this territory is covered in ice, Greenland has historical ties to Europe but can today be seen as a separate entity, particularly considering the potential exploitation of its hidden natural resources. The melting glaciers caused by climate change are increasingly opening access to potentially vast reserves of oil, gas, and rare minerals. Beyond the obvious energy significance, this could offer significant economic benefits to any nation that invests in exploration. Furthermore, the retreating Arctic ice is shortening maritime routes between major global markets, presenting new economic advantages.
Mentions of Greenland in political discourse are also closely tied to questions of Arctic rights and territorial claims. With Greenland as a base, Denmark secures a claim to a portion of the Arctic, which is also strategically important to the United States. On a global scale, the Arctic has become a hotspot for the interests of major powers due to its massive reserves of natural resources and its strategic location that facilitates control over the region.
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The Arctic itself is not owned by any single nation, but several countries—the United States (via Alaska), Canada, Russia, Norway, Denmark (via Greenland), and Iceland—can, under United Nations rules, claim to expand their exclusive economic zones. According to UNCLOS (the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982), each state has an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) extending up to 200 nautical miles (approximately 370 kilometers) from its coasts, where it has exclusive rights to the sea’s resources and can expand its continental shelf up to 350 nautical miles if a geological connection to the mainland is proven. The convention also defines territorial waters up to 12 nautical miles and establishes mechanisms for resolving disputes. However, the United States has yet to ratify this convention, which creates additional legal and political tensions.
Russia, on the other hand, is actively working to prove that the seabed of the Arctic Ocean is an extension of its Siberian continental shelf in order to secure additional rights to exploration under these rules. Norway, Denmark, and Canada are also developing their own strategies to define rights to Arctic space. The result of such competition is a complex legal and geopolitical situation, where major players are vying for control over resources and maritime routes.
With glaciers thinning, access to potentially rich energy reserves becomes increasingly feasible. For the United States, interest in Greenland could be a long-term strategic move, securing a stronger position in the Arctic race, bolstering energy stability, and increasing control over crucial maritime passages.
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