Why in the News?
Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, has rejected renewed remarks by Donald Trump on taking over the island. Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen stated that citizens should not fear an imminent American annexation, while European powers reaffirmed support for Greenland’s sovereignty.
Political Status of Greenland
- World’s largest island
- Population around 57,000
- Autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark
- Controls internal affairs, while defence and foreign policy remain with Denmark
- Not an independent NATO member, but covered under Denmark’s NATO membership
Strategic Importance of Greenland
- Located between Europe and North America
- Critical for US ballistic missile defence systems
- Part of the Arctic region, gaining importance due to climate change
- Rich in critical minerals and rare earth elements
- Important for reducing dependence on Chinese mineral supply chains
International Law Angle
- Territorial sovereignty is a core principle of international law
- Annexation of another territory without consent violates UN principles
- NATO is based on collective defence, not internal coercion
Prelims Pointers
- Greenland is not an independent country
- Defence of Greenland is linked to Denmark’s NATO membership
- Arctic geopolitics is driven by security, minerals, and climate change
- Public opinion in Greenland strongly opposes US annexation
| [2014] Consider the following countries:
1. Denmark 2. Japan 3. Russian Federation 4. United Kingdom 5. United States of America Which of the above are the members of the ‘Arctic Council’? (a) 1, 2 and 3 only (b) 2, 3 and 4 only (c) 1, 4 and 5 only (d) 1, 3 and 5 only |
