Analysis, why is Greenland so coveted? - From strategic importance to untapped underground resources
US President Donald Trump has revived his ambition to gain control of Greenland, arguing that the Arctic island is vital to US national security and necessary to deter adversaries in the region. Trump has refused to rule out the use of military force to take control of the strategic territory.
Greenland has repeatedly said it does not want to be part of the United States. Leaders from major European powers and Canada have expressed support for the Arctic territory, saying it belongs to its people.
But why is Greenland so coveted?
The retreat of Arctic sea ice, which scientists warn will have serious consequences for the Earth's climate and could disrupt ocean currents, has made shipping routes through the Arctic easier and opened up new opportunities for oil and gas extraction. According to Arctic Ship Traffic Data, the number of ships operating in the Arctic increased by 37% between 2013 and 2023.
Most of the Arctic is divided between exclusive economic zones which extend no more than 200 nautical miles from countries' territorial waters and where they have jurisdiction over natural resources.
Strategic importance to American security
Greenland's strategic location along the shortest route from Europe to North America is vital to the US ballistic missile warning system.
The U.S. military maintains a permanent presence at Pituffik Space Base in northwest Greenland, under the command of the U.S. Space Force. The base houses early warning radar systems that are part of the Space Delta 4 missile defense mission and is strategically located ahead of NORAD's Northern Warning System, a line of radar installations designed to detect missile launches against North America crossing the Arctic.
Untapped resources
A 2023 study showed that 25 of the 34 minerals considered "critical raw materials" by the European Commission were found in Greenland.
Greenland's vast untapped resources include rare earth metals, graphite, copper, nickel, zinc, uranium, titanium, gold, and diamonds, and 60% of the island's non-glacial territory has yet to be explored. Oil and natural gas extraction is prohibited in Greenland for environmental reasons, and the development of its mining sector has been hampered by bureaucracy and opposition from the indigenous population.
Greenland is more than three times the size of Texas, the largest state in the US, and has a population less than one-tenth that of Detroit, Michigan.
Most of the population lives on only the 20% of the island that is not permanently covered with snow and ice, along the entire coast.
Greenland was a Danish colony until 1953, when it officially became part of Denmark. It gained more autonomy in 1979 with the establishment of its own parliament, and was granted broader autonomy in 2009.
A January 2025 poll showed that 85% of Greenlanders do not want to become part of the United States, with nearly half saying they see Trump's interest as a threat.
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