Twitter
Advertisement

Arshad Nadeem slams 'fake' promises made in Pakistan after securing gold in Paris Olympics: 'Announcements were...'

Huge blow for Team India as star pacer suffers freak hand injury ahead of 4th Test against England

ITR Filing 2025: When will you get your refund? What should you do to avoid late refund?

Kareena Kapoor's vacation in Greece comes with a Shah Rukh Khan twist: 'Did a lungi dance in...'

Tickets for Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, featuring Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Zendaya, sold out one year before its release

Will 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi redefine greatness beyond Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar? England fans thinks so

Kiara Advani, Sidharth Malhotra to follow no-photo policy for their newborn baby

Mukesh Ambani's company's profit rises to Rs 325 crore days after acquiring entire stake of India's largest govt bank in...

Iran-Israel War: US assessment report makes SHOCKING claims on American strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, says, 'Only one...'

What is Kanwar Yatra, how did it begin? Lord Shiva gulped poison, then THIS happened...

India cautions against 'double standards' over NATO Chief's sanction warning for trade with Russia, says, 'Energy needs for our people...'

Here's how Salman Khan is preparing hard for Battle of Galwan: 'Abhi thoda sa zyada time...'

Ratan Tata's TCS's new bench policy makes several employees anxious about layoffs

IND vs ENG: Kuldeep Yadav's exclusion a blunder for India in England? Kapil Dev questions team selection

Meet man who cracked UPSC exam twice, became first IAS officer from his tribe, hailed as 'Miracle Man' due to...

Bengaluru Stampede: Karnataka govt blames RCB, flags Virat Kohli video in report; Will BCCI enforce IPL ban?

Cheating case filed against Malayalam actor Nivin Pauly, director Abrid Shine for this reason

Virat Kohli's former RCB teammate set to make blockbuster return to cricket field 4 years after retirement, he will play in...

India's BIG statement on US President Donald Trump, NATO's sanction threat on Russian imports, says, 'Not worried at all...'

Good news for Azim Premji as Wipro beats estimates, its Q1 FY26 net profit rises to Rs...

IND vs ENG 4th Test: No win in 89 years, dismissed twice in a day; Can Shubman Gill's men end India's Old Trafford jinx?

Connie Francis, whose 1962 song Pretty Little Baby is now a viral sensation, dies at 87

Pepe Price Prediction: 10x Still In Sight, But Analysts Say This Token Has More Room To Run

Solana Price Prediction: Could SOL Hit $500 By Year-End or Will RTX Continue To Outshine?

Tata Sons carries forward Ratan Tata's legacy, to invest $400 million in ..., details here

Saiyaara actress Aneet Padda reveals how Mohit Suri approved her and Ahaan Panday with 'that famous stare': 'I’m lucky to...'

Kabir Khan reveals CBFC asked him to cut Pakistani Maulvi Om Puri saying Jai Shri Ram in Bajrangi Bhaijaan: 'Muslim audiences...'

Little Pepe Crypto Price Prediction: LILPEPE Successfully Listed on CoinMarketCap

Meet woman, daughter of Malaysia’s richest man, who studied at Harvard, now set to lead Rs 18852 crore empire as...

Syrian President Sharaa's FIRST statement on Israeli strikes in Damascus, says, 'We are the ones who..'

Dolly Chaiwala is expanding 'Dolly ki Tapri', over 1600 have applied in just 2 days, the cost of the franchise model is Rs...

Has Jasprit Bumrah become India's unlucky charm in Tests? Viral stats ignites debate

Pepe Coin Price Prediction: Can PEPE Explode to $0.0001 and Overtake Dogecoin, Shiba Inu? Not Before This ETH Meme Coin Beats Them All

Bangladesh's Yunus government issues BIG statement on demolition of Satyajit Ray's ancestral home, says, 'No link to...'

BIZARRE! Rich entrepreneur hangs Ferrari on ceiling of his mansion as new chandelier, netizens say..., watch viral video

Deepti Sharma credits THIS star Indian wicketkeeper for her one-handed six in ODI game against England

'Very similar to Virat Kohli': Ex-Eng star reveals how Shubman Gill's aggression unleashed England's inner 'beast' at Lord's

Amitabh Bachchan's whopping fees per episode for Kaun Banega Crorepati 17 will shock you, superstar is charging Rs...

What was world Muslim population in 1925? How much has it increased in 100 years? In 2125, there will be ... Muslims

Sunil Mittal makes BIG move as Airtel teams up with Perplexity offering FREE subscription of...; check details

Who are Druze minority and why is Israel attacking Syria to protect them?

IndiGo Delhi-Imphal flight returns shortly after takeoff due to mid-air technical snag

Who is Maurene Comey? Federal prosecutor who worked on Epstein-files case, now fired by Donald Trump's administration, she is daughter of...

Meet India's fastest runner who broke 100m sprint record in just...; he is from small village in...

Lessons in young entrepreneurship: Advice that Gaurav Saxena has to offer toward creation of something out of nothing

Forex Robot Trends: Automation Defining the Future of Trading

Praggnanandhaa upsets World Champion Magnus Carlsen under 40 moves at Las Vegas Freestyle Chess, to face THIS player in quarterfinals

Saiyaara: Will Mohit Suri's romance drama with Ahaan Panday, Aneet Padda pull box office numbers? Here's what advance booking stats say

Who was Chandan Mishra? Bihar gangster who was shot dead by 5 gunmen in Patna hospital

Louis Vuitton's new Lifebuoy-shaped bag is as expensive as any car, check out SHOCKING price

Nimisha Priya case: Victim's family refuses to pardon her, will Kerala nurse be executed? Islamic Laws say...

Sonakshi Sinha's brother Kussh Sinha breaks silence on his absence from her wedding: 'I don’t need to...'

Uttar Pradesh flood alert: Ganga water level rises in Varanasi, Prayagraj and other districts of UP after heavy rainfall

Mukesh Ambani's brother Anil Ambani-owned THIS company to raise Rs 9,000 crore, you too can invest, know how

Priyanka Chopra's passionate kiss with Nick Jonas on the beach goes viral; watch video

Shikhar Dhawan to return to Lord's after India's major loss in 3rd Test vs England: 'Ab meri baari hai...'

Ishaan Khatter part of Gully Boy 2? Siddhant Chaturvedi drops major hints about Dhadak 2 crossover with Zoya Akhtar’s blockbuster

After Jeff Bezos' Amazon, THIS retail giant has announced fresh layoffs, cutting hundreds of jobs due to...

29 soldiers killed in BLA attack, Is Pakistan Army losing war against militants in Balochistan?

Bad news for Virat Kohli as Karnataka govt blames RCB management for Bengaluru stampede, mentions name of star batter

Student from this college bags record-breaking salary package of Rs 1.45 crore first time in 25 years, not IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIM Ahmedabad, it is...

At least 60 killed in massive fire at Iraq shopping mall, horrific video surfaces

Will Joe Root break Sachin Tendulkar's historic Test record at Old Trafford? England's star all-rounder set to become...

Why this relative of Mukesh Ambani is selling his Rs 6,800 crore business, says no one ready to..., name is...

Good news for Delhi commuters, Rekha Gupta government set to change transport system, smart travel cards, new bus routes, and...

BIG tension for China, Pakistan, as Indian Army successfully test Akash Prime air defence system, it can engage multiple targets in...

The Simplification Visionary: Ishaan Agarwal and his Ability to Transform The Global Business Technology

Ram Kapoor recalls having no work, living off his wife’s income, earning Rs 1000: 'When I married Gautami…’

PAC cosmetics: Performance meets the Indian beauty requirements

Good news for Indians, THIS country is offering visa for just Rs 7500 to live and work for..., not France, US, UK, Spain, it is..., check how to apply

KKR star all-rounder announces retirement from international cricket, his name is....

Day after Indian tourist arrested for shoplifting, US embassy in India issues BIG warning, says visa can be revoked, if...

'Don’t think Ranveer Singh has...': R Madhavan explains why his Dhurandhar co-star is not going anywhere despite failures

Bihar Elections: CM Nitish Kumar announces 125 units of 'free electricity' from..., check details here

Barack Obama and Michelle Obama finally address divorce rumours, say 'It was...'

Meet woman, as beautiful as any Bollywood actress, cracked UPSC exam but did not become IAS officer due to...

Bengaluru small vendors are saying 'NO' to UPI, demands 'Only' cash, are in fear due to...

Meet woman, first IAS officer to officially appoint a female driver, she is from…, her name is..

What is 'PAN-PAN' call that Delhi-Goa IndiGo flight pilot made before diverting flight to Mumbai?

Donald Trump makes BIG claim, says US is working on deal with China's Xi Jinping to impose death penalty for...

Donald Trump hints at India-US trade deal: 'very close to...'

Mohit Suri reveals Aditya Chopra's first reaction after watching Ahaan Panday, Aneet Padda-starrer Saiyaara: 'What happened to...' | Exclusive

Largest piece of Mars found on earth sold for Rs..., discovered at Sahara Desert, it weighs..., know how it reached earth

UIDAI deactivates Aadhar of deceased persons, disables over 1 crore numbers, starts new service for...

DNA TV Show: Digvijaya Singh's post on Kanwar Yatra stirs row

Blood crisis solved! This country developed universal artificial blood, beneficial in surgeries, emergencies, it's colour is...

How will teams qualify for LA28 cricket? Details emerge as sport returns to Olympics after 128 years

Delhi-Goa IndiGo flight makes emergency landing due to a mid-air engine failure

Before Dhadak 2, Siddhant Chaturvedi was set to romance Triptii Dimri in this romantic drama but he was replaced by...

SL vs BAN: Mahedi Hasan creates history, shatters Harbhajan Singh's 13-year-old record in Colombo T20I

No OTP, no Tatkal ticket: Indian Railways makes Aadhaar OTP verification mandatory for online Tatkal booking; check details

This actress has been banned from driving for 6 months after speeding offense

Will Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah play in 4th Test against England? Report makes BIG claim

Anil Ambani's Reliance Infra, RPower make BIG move to raise Rs 18000 crore through...

Sidhu Moose Wala's world tour announced three years after his death, confused fans ask 'ye sach me mara hai ya...'

Israeli government on verge of collapse? PM Benjamin Netanyahu loses majority as coalition partner quits due to...

Virat Kohli continues to rewrite history books; achieves never-before-seen ICC ranking milestone post T20I, Test retirement

Meet Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla’s wife Kamna Shukla who played 'biggest' role in his achievement, she is...

Who is Aditya Saurabh? Cracked UPSC with impressive AIR, became IRS officer, now arrested for...

Delhi set to launch India's first net-zero e-waste park in...; its cost is Rs...

Beyond 'Big Real Estate Deal': Deconstructing Donald Trump's Greenland obsession

Greenland makes up about 25% of the Arctic region's total land area. It is the largest island in the Arctic and plays a significant role in the geography and ecosystem of the region.

Latest News
Beyond 'Big Real Estate Deal': Deconstructing Donald Trump's Greenland obsession

Donald Trump has increased his warnings about taking control of Greenland, a territory he has often said should belong to the United States.

Greenland makes up about 25% of the Arctic region's total land area. It is the largest island in the Arctic and plays a significant role in the geography and ecosystem of the region. Its location makes it strategically important because it connects North America, Europe, and the Arctic. 

Here, we look into the reasons behind his interest in this Danish territory.

Why is Donald Trump trying to purchase Greenland?

Trump first heard about the idea of buying Greenland during his first term as president when his friend Ronald Lauder, heir to the Estée Lauder cosmetics company, suggested it to him.

Trump called it a "big real estate deal" and became more interested after learning about Greenland's strategic location and the Arctic's rich natural resources.

He put together a small team to explore options, including a long-term lease similar to a property deal in New York.

At a press conference in Mar-a-Lago,(private residence of Donald Trump in Palm Beach Florida)Trump explained the main reason for wanting Greenland was to help "protecting the free world" (safeguard democratic nations and their interests). He said it was important because he believed China and Russia posed a threat to the region.

Trump has often seen the U.S. as competing for global power with China, which also explains his interest in the Panama Canal.

Which country does Greenland belong to?

Greenland, the largest island in the world that isn’t a continent, is a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. It has its own language, flag, and government. However, Denmark is responsible for handling things like money, defense, and international relations.

Norway took control of Greenland in 1261 through an agreement with Norse settlers (Scandinavian people from Norway and Iceland). Later, it became part of the union between Denmark, Norway, and Sweden from 1397 to 1523, until Sweden left the union. Finally, in 1814, the Treaty of Kiel placed Greenland under Denmark's rule.

Greenland stopped being a colony in 1953 when it became part of Denmark under a new Danish constitution, but it still remained within Denmark's territory.

In 1979, the Home Rule Act gave Greenland's government more independence. Later, in 1985, Greenland decided to leave the European Economic Community, which later became the European Union.

In 2009, Greenland was granted self-rule, but it still gets financial support from Denmark every year. People in Greenland are Danish citizens and also have EU citizenship since Greenland is considered an overseas territory of the EU.

EU leaders reacted to Donald Trump's comments about wanting to buy Greenland by firmly warning him against the idea. 

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated that using force to change borders is unacceptable.

He said that during his talks with European partners, they seemed confused about some recent statements made by the US.

France’s foreign minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, said that the EU will not allow any country to threaten or attack its borders.

Russia also gave a warning, saying that the Arctic is an area of important national and strategic interest for the country, according to a Kremlin spokesperson.Russia said it wants to keep the Arctic peaceful and stable. They are closely monitoring the situation, which so far has only involved statements, not actions.

What is the worth of it?

Greenland’s main export is fish, but the country also has many untapped resources, including minerals and hydrocarbons. Fish and shrimp account for over 95% of its exports. In 2022, its largest export market was Denmark (49%), followed by China (24%), the UK (6%), and Japan (5%).

Hardly any minerals or oil and gas (hydrocarbons, which are natural fuels like oil and gas) are exported because Greenland banned new oil and gas exploration in 2021.

Officials said drilling for oil would harm the environment too much, even though there are billions of barrels of oil estimated to be along the west coast and under the east coast seabed.

The Greenland government said the ban was put in place to protect nature, support the fishing industry, boost tourism, and focus on sustainable opportunities for the future.Greenland shifted to developing hydropower for energy because of worries about climate change.

In 2021, Greenland’s parliament banned uranium mining and halted plans to develop the Kuannersuit mine (located near the southern town of Narsaq in Greenland). This mine holds one of the largest deposits of rare earth elements in the world (materials used in things like electronics and renewable energy).

What is the history of the relationship between the United States and Greenland?

Greenland is located in North America, which has led the United States to try to buy it several times in the past.

In 1867, William Seward, the U.S. secretary of state who arranged the purchase of Alaska from Russia, also came up with plans to offer gold for Greenland and Iceland. However, these offers were never made.

American explorers who ventured into new parts of Greenland increased U.S. interest in the territory. This even led to a discussion in 1910 by the U.S. ambassador to Denmark about the possibility of the U.S. acquiring Greenland.

In 1946, President Truman offered $100 million in gold to buy Greenland. The U.S. military saw the island as essential to America but claimed it had no value to Denmark.

The U.S. secretary of state, James Byrnes, made an official offer to buy Greenland during a meeting with Denmark's foreign minister, Gustav Rasmussen, in Washington.

Denmark turned down the offer but allowed the U.S. to expand the Thule Air Base, which had been built during World War II on Greenland’s northeast coast.

Now called Pituffik Space Base, this important facility is located 750 miles (1,200 km) north of the Arctic Circle. It has the world’s northernmost deep-water port, a 10,000-foot (3,000 m) runway, and advanced systems for missile warning and space surveillance.

(The author of this article is a Defence, Aerospace & Political Analyst based in Bengaluru. He is also Director of ADD Engineering Components, India, Pvt. Ltd, a subsidiary of ADD Engineering GmbH, Germany. You can reach him at: girishlinganna@gmail.com)

(Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own and do not reflect those of DNA)

Find your daily dose of All Latest News including Sports NewsEntertainment NewsLifestyle News, explainers & more. Stay updated, Stay informed- Follow DNA on WhatsApp.
Read More
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement