Greenland

This autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark forms the largest island in the world and lies in the North Atlantic north of Canada. The landmass spans more than two million square kilometers (836,000 square miles) with a continuous ice sheet covering the interior and narrow habitable coastal strips along the western and southern edges.

Norwegian seafarers led by Erik the Red founded several settlements on the southwestern coast in the late tenth century that lasted until the fifteenth century. Inuit groups reached the area as early as 2500 BC in several migration waves coming from the north.

The Greenlandic name Kalaallit Nunaat translates as Land of the People and reflects the self-understanding of the largely indigenous population. Brightly painted wooden houses define the appearance of coastal settlements and form a strong contrast to the surrounding ice landscape.

The capital Nuuk offers air connections to Iceland and Denmark and serves as the main starting point for travel within the territory. The summer months from June to August work best for a visit when cruise ships operate along the western coast and daylight lasts nearly around the clock.

The second largest ice sheet on Earth holds roughly ten percent of global freshwater reserves and individual icebergs reach ages exceeding one hundred thousand years. When melting they produce characteristic crackling sounds as compressed air bubbles escape from the ancient ice.