Lowest population count in 20 years

January 1st 2016 there lived 55.847 persons in Greenland. Thus, the population decreased by 137 persons during 2015 and the population count is the lowest in 20 years.

 

Summary table 1. Population January 1st 2007-2016

 

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

Total

56.648

56.462

56.194

56.452

56.615

56.749

56.370

56.282

55.984

55.847

Men

30.005

29.885

29.809

29.936

29.942

30.041

29.838

29.730

29.556

29.543

Women

26.643

26.577

26.385

26.516

26.673

26.708

26.532

26.552

26.428

26.304

Source: Statistics Greenland,  http://bank.stat.gl/beest1

 

Of the country's 4 municipalities Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq had a continued strong population growth in 2015 especially in Nuuk. In the other municipalities, the population declined slightly, as shown in Summary table 2

 

The population count in settlements continue to decrease. Only last year the number declined with 35 from 7,470 to 7,435 people.

 

Figure 1. Population in settlements 1977-2016

Source: Statistics Greenland,  http://bank.stat.gl/beest1

 

Summary table 2 Population in municipalities 2016

 

-16

17-64

65+

Men

Women

Total

2015

Total

2016

Change from 2015 to 2016

Total

13.150

38.260

4.437

29.543

26.304

55.984

55.847

-137

Towns

11.164

33.175

3.801

25.293

22.847

48.216

48.140

-76

Settlements

1.944

4.874

617

4.062

3.373

7.470

7.435

-35

Stations

-

103

6

89

20

133

109

-24

Farms

42

88

13

83

60

156

143

-13

Unknown

-

20

-

16

4

9

20

11

Kommune Kujalleq

1.550

4.468

793

3.642

3.169

6.970

6.811

-159

Towns

1.354

3.835

656

3.067

2.778

5.952

5.845

-107

Settlements

154

547

125

494

332

863

826

-37

Stations

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Farms

42

86

12

81

59

153

140

-13

Unknown

-

-

-

-

-

2

-

-2

Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq

5.222

15.941

1.317

11.857

10.623

22.317

22.480

163

Towns

4.834

15.103

1.207

11.145

9.999

21.007

21.144

137

Settlements

388

832

109

706

623

1.299

1.329

30

Stations

-

1

-

1

-

3

1

-2

Farms

-

2

1

2

1

3

3

-

Unknown

-

3

-

3

-

5

3

-2

Qeqqata Kommunia

2.250

6.353

820

5.041

4.382

9.397

9.423

26

Towns

1.935

5.428

743

4.309

3.797

8.073

8.106

33

Settlements

315

925

77

732

585

1.324

1.317

-7

Stations

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Farms

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Unknown

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Qaasuitsup Kommunia

4.128

11.379

1.501

8.902

8.106

17.168

17.008

-160

Towns

3.041

8.809

1.195

6.772

6.273

13.184

13.045

-139

Settlements

1.087

2.570

306

2.130

1.833

3.984

3.963

-21

Stations

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Farms

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Unknown

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Outside Municipalities

-

119

6

101

24

132

125

-7

Source: Statistics Greenland,  http://bank.stat.gl/beest2

 

Figure 2. Neighborhoods in Nuuk 1994 - 2016

Source: Statistics Greenland,  http://bank.stat.gl/beestnuk 

 

The figure below shows the development of migration in the period 1993-2015. On average, 405 more people moved from Greenland than to, each year throughout the period. In 2015 a total of 2,186 people immigrated while 2,691 people emigrated. Net emigration of 505 persons and was higher than the average number of annual net emigrations since 1993.

 

Figure 3. Migrations 1993 - 2015

  

Source: Statistics Greenland,  http://bank.stat.gl/beebbiu2

 

Figure 4. Foreign citizens 1977-2016

Source: Statistics Greenland,  http://bank.stat.gl/beest6

 

Summary table 3. Foreign citizens 2010-2016

 

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

Total

736

811

920

978

986

974

1.057

 

                                                 Europe and Northamerica                                               

Total

510

529

619

650

640

598

670

Men

364

360

439

464

452

429

487

Women

146

169

180

186

188

169

183

 

                                                             Others                                                            

Total

226

282

301

328

346

376

387

Men

87

117

122

138

140

154

157

Women

139

165

179

190

206

222

230

Source: Statistics Greenland,  http://bank.stat.gl/beest6

 

After a sharp influx of foreign citizens from 2008 to 2013 and a temporary decline in 2014, the number of foreign nationals now rises again. In total 1.057 foreign nationals live in the country.

 

Based on a preliminary calculation of the number live births and deaths in 2015 the main figures of population trends in 2015 are listed in summary table 4.

 

Summary table 4. Population Account 2015          

Population January 1st 2015

55.984

+ number of liveborn (provisional)

854

- number of death (provisional)

472

+ immigrants

2.186

- emigrants

2.691

- Corrections

14

Population Januar 1st 2016

55.847

Source: Statistics Greenland,  http://bank.stat.gl/beecalc

 

Detailed tables can be found in our Statbank (http://bank.stat.gl)