Greenland is the largest island in the world. Its area is 2.2 million km2, while the largest island of Russia - Sakhalin - covers an area of only 76 thousand km2. Greenland in translation means "green country". This is very strange when you consider that about 80% of the island is covered in ice. The fact is that in 982 a group of Normans, led by Eric Raud, landed on the southern part of the island. At that time, birch and juniper grew there, meadows with tall, juicy herbs showed off, which is why they called it Greenland.
Although it later turned out that more than 1.8 million km2 were covered with ice and there was nothing alive there, they still did not change the name. In summer, the temperature on the island barely reaches 12 ° С, in winter it keeps on the coast at -7 ° С, and closer to the north -36 ° С. In some areas, the minimum temperature reaches -70 ° C.
The ice sheet on the island formed at about the same time as the ice sheet of Antarctica. For millennia, snow has accumulated in Greenland, not melting due to low temperature. Over time, it turned into a huge layer of ice, its average thickness varies in the range of 2 - 2.5 km, and in some places reaches 3.5 km.
The largest island holds the incredible weight of ice; its layers from the center slowly move closer to the shores of Greenland. The mountain ranges, like a giant bowl, seem to hold the bulk of the ice with their last strength, but still some ice floes break off and fall from the peaks into water, turning into huge icebergs - the main danger of ships cruising across the Atlantic Ocean.
Until 1536, the largest island belonged to Norway, and after became a colony of Denmark. In 1953, Greenland acquired the status of a Danish province. The population of the island is small - only 50 thousand people. These are mainly Greenland Eskimos, Danes and Norwegians. The most populous city is Nuuk (Gothob). About 14 thousand Greenlanders live in it.
Gothob was founded in 1721 by a missionary from Norway H. Egede, who came to Greenland with the aim of converting the local Eskimos to Christianity. At that time, about 12 families lived here. He then founded the town, calling it "good hope." In 1979, after Greenland became autonomous, Gothob was renamed Nuuk. It is he who is considered the economic capital of the island, since most of the industry is concentrated in it.
The largest island is practically unsuitable for living, because the climatic conditions are harsh. Only on the coasts are there small strips of land where the local population actually lives. Most Greenlanders are engaged in fishing and hunting, in warmer regions - sheep. Greenland is in first place for the production of processed shrimp, it is here that about 30 thousand tons of fish are caught annually.
The largest island to this day remains almost undeveloped territory. There are no railways, you can only drive around the city by car. To get to another village, you need to use a snowmobile or dog sledding. Greenland is somewhat like a snow queen, just as beautiful and impregnable.
