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A History Lesson- A Brief History Of Greenland
A Brief History of Greenland
Greenland is the world’s largest island.
At just over 2.1 million square kilometres (more than 1.3 million square miles), its northern coast is the most northerly landmass in the world.
Technically part of the continent of North America, Greenland has had closer political and cultural ties with Europe for over a millennium.
Despite its vast size, Greenland has a population of just 57,000 people.
The capital city, Nuuk, like most inhabited areas, lies on the south-west coast of the island.
Greenland has been associated with Denmark for centuries.
It was a colony of the Kingdom of Denmark before being granted home rule in 1979.
Further powers were devolved in 2009, and political debate has increasingly focused on the question of full independence.
The island’s strategic location and natural resources have long made it the focus of international interest.
The story of how somewhere so cold became such hot property is a long and fascinating one.
Early Inhabitants
The earliest known inhabitants of Greenland were Inuit peoples who crossed from North America via the islands off the coast of modern Canada.
Several waves of migration occurred from around 2500 BCE, representing different Inuit cultures.
These overlapping periods are categorised as:
- Independence I (c. 2500–1800 BCE)
- Saqqaq (c. 2300–900 BCE)
- Independence II (c. 1200–700 BCE)
- Dorset I (c. 600 BCE–100 CE)
- Dorset II (c. 700–1200 CE)
The final major Inuit migration was the Thule culture, which arrived around the early 12th century CE.
The Thule encountered Norse settlements on Greenland’s south-west coast and later gave rise to the Kalaallit Inuit culture, characterised by extensive kayak-based hunting.
Norse Greenland
The Norse settlers encountered by the Thule were Vikings, who had already lived in Greenland for more than a century.
The Norse settlement is usually dated to the arrival of Erik the Red around 985 CE, as recorded in the Saga of Erik the Red.
Erik was originally from Norway.
After his father was banished for manslaughter in around 960 CE, the family settled in Iceland.
Erik later committed killings of his own and was himself exiled from Iceland.
With few options remaining, Erik sailed west with his family and discovered Greenland.
After exploring the coast, he found habitable land on the south-west shore.
He spent three years building a home before returning to Iceland to recruit settlers.
To make the land more appealing, Erik deliberately named it Greenland.
The strategy worked.
Twenty-five ships set out from Iceland, though only fourteen survived the journey.
They established:
- An Eastern Settlement (modern Qaqortoq)
- A Western Settlement near present-day Nuuk
At their peak, between 3,000 and 6,000 Norse settlers lived on Greenland.
They hunted seals, walrus for ivory, and whales—extremely valuable resources.
Erik’s son, Leif Erikson, later sailed further west and became the first European known to reach North America.
He also introduced Christianity to Greenland.
The first bishopric was established in 1126 CE.
Disappearance of the Norse
What ultimately happened to the Norse settlements remains unknown.
The last written record dates to 1408, documenting a marriage.
In 1540, a ship visited the abandoned Eastern Settlement and recorded finding the corpse of a Norseman.
One likely cause of the collapse was the Little Ice Age, a period of cooling from around 1300 to the mid-19th century, which made survival increasingly difficult.
European Rediscovery and Danish Rule
The Thule Inuit continued to inhabit Greenland, largely in areas the Norse had never settled.
By the 16th century, European whaling fleets—particularly English and Dutch—were operating near Greenland.
In the early 18th century, Denmark sent a religious mission, believing Norse Catholics might still survive there.
No Vikings were found, but Danish settlements resumed along the south-west coast.
In 1776, Denmark claimed a monopoly on trade, and Greenland formally became a Danish colony.
This monopoly remained until 1950.
Greenland in the World Wars and Cold War
During World War II, Denmark was occupied by Germany, cutting off Greenland.
In 1941, the Danish ambassador to the United States authorised American military bases on the island.
Greenland became a crucial Allied base for weather forecasting and anti-submarine warfare.
Local Inuit forces formed the Sledge Patrol, using dog sleds to locate German installations.
After the war, Greenland returned to Danish control, but the experience of autonomy left a lasting impact.
In 1946, the United States offered $100 million in gold to buy Greenland.
Denmark refused.
During the Cold War, Greenland became strategically vital.
Thule Air Base, established permanently in 1951, became a key radar site.
In 1953, Inuit residents were forcibly relocated to expand the base.
In 1968, a US bomber carrying four hydrogen bombs crashed near Thule.
Only three bombs were recovered.
The incident led to the Thulegate scandal in 1995, revealing secret nuclear overflights.
Modern Greenland and Independence
Greenland ceased being a colony in 1952 and became an autonomous Danish province.
It gained home rule in 1979 and expanded self-government in 2009, including adopting Greenlandic as the official language.
In 1985, Greenland withdrew from the European Economic Community after a referendum.
Recent elections, including those in 2025, have shown strong support for independence.
Polls indicate that 85% of Greenlanders oppose becoming part of the United States.
Why Greenland Matters Today
Greenland’s importance today is increasingly economic.
The US Geological Survey estimates 17.5 billion barrels of oil beneath Greenland, along with major gas reserves.
Extraction is currently banned due to environmental and Indigenous concerns.
A 2023 European Commission survey found Greenland contains 25 of the 34 critical rare earth minerals essential for modern technology.
As China dominates global supply, Greenland has become strategically significant once again.
Rather than military security against Russia, it may now be economic security against China that is driving renewed global interest in Greenland.
Thank you very much for watching.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this brief history of Greenland.
I’ve been Matt Lewis, and this is History Hit.