GOVERNMENT
Country
name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Greenland
local long form: none
local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat
Dependency status:
part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative
division of Denmark since 1979
Government type:
parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy
Capital:
Nuuk (Godthab)
Administrative divisions:
3 districts (landsdele); Avannaa (Nordgronland), Tunu (Ostgronland),
Kitaa (Vestgronland)
note: there are 18 municipalities in Greenland
Independence:
none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; foreign affairs is the responsibility
of Denmark, but Greenland actively participates in international
agreements relating to Greenland)
National holiday:
June 21 (longest day)
Constitution:
5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)
Legal system:
Danish
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January
1972), represented by High Commissioner Peter LAURITEEN (since
NA 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Hans ENOKSEN (since 14 December
2002)
cabinet: Home Rule Government is elected by the Parliament (Landstinget)
on the basis of the strength of parties
elections: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner appointed
by the monarch; prime minister is elected by Parliament (usually
the leader of the majority party); election last held 3 December
2002 (next to be held December 2006)
election results: Hans ENOKSEN elected prime minister
note: government coalition - Siumut and Inuit Ataqatigiit
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Landstinget (31 seats; members are elected
by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to
serve four-year terms)
elections: last held on 3 December 2002 (next to be held by NA
December 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - Siumut 28.7%, Inuit
Ataqatigiit 25.5%, Atassut Party 20.4%, Demokratiit 15.6%, Katusseqatigiit
5.3%; seats by party - Siumut 10, Inuit Ataqatigiit 8, Atassut
7, Demokratiit 5, Katusseqatigiit 1
note: two representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament
or Folketing on 20 November 2001 (next to be held no later than
November 2005); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party
- Siumut 1, Inuit Ataqatigiit 1
Judicial branch:
High Court or Landsret (appeals can be made to the Ostre Landsret
or Eastern Division of the High Court or Supreme Court in Copenhagen)
Political parties and leaders:
Atassut Party (Solidarity, a conservative party favoring continuing
close relations with Denmark) [Augusta SALLING]; Demokratiit [Per
BERTHELSEN]; Inuit Ataqatigiit or IA (Eskimo Brotherhood, a leftist
party favoring complete independence from Denmark rather than
home rule) [Josef MOTZFELDT]; Issituup (Polar Party) [Nicolai
HEINRICH]; Kattusseqatigiit (Candidate List, an independent right-of-center
party with no official platform [leader NA]; Siumut (Forward Party,
a social democratic party advocating more distinct Greenlandic
identity and greater autonomy from Denmark) [Hans ENOKSEN]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
NC, NIB
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)
Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a large
disk slightly to the hoist side of center - the top half of the
disk is red, the bottom half is white
