CAPITAL NUUK - POPULATION 56,344 - AREA 2,166,086 SQ KM - OFFICIAL LANGUAGES GREENLANDIC (EAST INUIT), DANISH
Who'd have thought global warming would create a tourist attraction? Visitor numbers to this vast Arctic island are on the up, as many are eager to witness the front line of climate change – drastically receding glaciers and endangered whales and polar bears. Still, 'on the up' equates to only 50,000 people a year – fewer than the numbers visiting a single London Tube station daily – so Greenland remains very much undiscovered. Cruising has become more popular, the advantage being that it doesn't require onshore hotels or infrastructure and so leaves the environment relatively unblemished. And what an environment, from the spectacular east coast (try hiking around Tasiilaq) to the glaciers near Maniitsoq and Sisimiut, perfect for summer skiing.
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