Economy - overview:
The economy remains critically dependent on exports of shrimp and fish, income from resource exploration and extraction, and on a substantial subsidy from the Danish Government. The subsidy was budgeted to be about $651 million in 2012, approximately 56% of government revenues that year.The public sector, including publicly owned enterprises and the municipalities, plays the dominant role in Greenland's economy. Greenland's real GDP contracted about 1% in 2009 as a result of the global economic slowdown, but is estimated to have grown marginally in 2010-15.During the last decade the Greenland Home Rule Government (GHRG) pursued conservative fiscal and monetary policies, but public pressure has increased for better schools, health care and retirement systems.The Greenlandic economy has benefited from increasing catches and exports of shrimp, Greenland halibut and, more recently, crabs. Due to Greenland's continued dependence on exports of fish - which accounted for 89% of exports in 2010 - the economy remains very sensitive to external demand.The relative ease with which Greenland has weathered the economic crisis is due to increased hydrocarbon and mineral exploration and extraction activities, a high level of construction activity in the Nuuk area and the increasing price of fish and shrimp. International consortia are increasingly active in exploring for hydrocarbon resources off Greenland's western coast, and international studies indicate the potential for oil and gas fields in northern and northeastern Greenland. In May 2007, a US aluminum producer concluded a memorandum of understanding with the Greenland Home Rule Government to build an aluminum smelter and a power generation facility, which takes advantage of Greenland's abundant hydropower potential. Within the area of mining, olivine sand continues to be produced and gold production has resumed in south Greenland, while rare-earth and iron ore mineral projects have been proposed or planned elsewhere on the island.Tourism also offers another avenue of economic growth for Greenland, with increasing numbers of cruise lines now operating in Greenland's western and southern waters during the peak summer tourism season.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$2.173 billion (2011 est.) $2.154 billion (2010 est.) $2.165 billion (2009 est.)
note: data are in 2011 US dollars
country comparison to the world: 193
[see also: GDP country ranks ]

GDP (official exchange rate):
$2.16 billion (2011 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]

GDP - real growth rate:
0.9% (2011 est.) -0.5% (2010 est.) 1.5% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 182
[see also: GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$37,900 (2008 est.) $38,100 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 43
[see also: GDP - per capita country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 13.9%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - agriculture country ranks ]
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 19.2%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - industry country ranks ]
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - industry country ranks ]
services: 67% (2012 est.)
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - services country ranks ]
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - services country ranks ]

Agriculture - products:
sheep, cow, reindeer, fish

Industries:
fish processing (mainly shrimp and Greenland halibut); gold, niobium, tantalite, uranium, iron and diamond mining; handicrafts, hides and skins, small shipyards

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]

Labor force:
26,990 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 207
[see also: Labor force country ranks ]

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 13.9%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - agriculture country ranks ]
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 19.2%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - industry country ranks ]
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - industry country ranks ]
services: 67% (2012 est.)
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - services country ranks ]
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - services country ranks ]

Unemployment rate:
9.4% (2013 est.) 4.2% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107
[see also: Unemployment rate country ranks ]

Population below poverty line:
9.2% (2007 est.)
[see also: Population below poverty line country ranks ]

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10% country ranks ]
highest 10%: NA%
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - highest 10% country ranks ]

Budget:
revenues: $1.72 billion
[see also: Budget revenues country ranks ]
expenditures: $1.68 billion (2010)
[see also: Budget expenditures country ranks ]

Taxes and other revenues:
79.6% of GDP (2010)
country comparison to the world: 4
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
1.9% of GDP (2010)
country comparison to the world: 14
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.8% (2012 est.) 2.8% (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103
[see also: Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]

Exports:
$384.3 million (2010) $358 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 178
[see also: Exports country ranks ]

Exports - commodities:
fish and fish products 89%, metals 10% (2008 est.)

Exports - partners:
Denmark 60.7%, Japan 10.4%, China 8.4% (2014)

Imports:
$814.2 million (2010) $726 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 184
[see also: Imports country ranks ]

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, petroleum products

Imports - partners:
Denmark 60.4%, Sweden 16.9%, Iceland 10.6% (2014)

Debt - external:
$36.4 million (2010) $58 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 196
[see also: Debt - external country ranks ]

Exchange rates:
Danish kroner (DKK) per US dollar - 6.588 (2015 est.) 5.6125 (2014 est.) 5.3687 (2013 est.) 5.79 (2012 est.) 5.3687 (2011 est.)