On January 1.st ,2022, 56,562 people lived in Greenland. Thus, the population has increased with 141 people over the past year. The increase is seen for the age group 60 years and over, which has increased with 408 persons from 8,697 to 9,105 (+ 4.7 per cent) during 2021.The preliminary count of this year’s births shows that only 761 children were born in 2021. This is the lowest annual birth count since World War II and it seems that it is the 20-30 year old women who in 2021 postpone their first child.Relocations and migrations are also affected by the pandemic. For relocations, an approx. 15 per cent lower level is seen, and for migrations a significantly lower net migration than the average of the last 30 years.
2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total | 56.370 | 56.282 | 55.983 | 55.847 | 55.860 | 55.877 | 55.992 | 56.081 | 56.421 | 56.562 |
Men | 29.838 | 29.730 | 29.555 | 29.543 | 29.493 | 29.489 | 29.553 | 29.551 | 29.749 | 29.803 |
Women | 26.532 | 26.552 | 26.428 | 26.304 | 26.367 | 26.388 | 26.439 | 26.530 | 26.672 | 26.759 |
Source: Statistics Greenland – See table in StatBank https://bank.stat.gl/BEESTA
0-16 | 17-64 | 65+ | Men | Women | 2021 | 2022 | forskel | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kommune Kujalleq | ||||||||
Total | 1.425 | 4.006 | 861 | 3.323 | 2.969 | 6.454 | 6.292 | -162 |
Town | 1.241 | 3.494 | 722 | 2.842 | 2.615 | 5.598 | 5.457 | -141 |
Settlement | 184 | 511 | 139 | 480 | 354 | 856 | 834 | -22 |
Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq | ||||||||
Total | 5.421 | 16.676 | 1.764 | 12.554 | 11.307 | 23.462 | 23.861 | 399 |
Town | 5.130 | 15.988 | 1.637 | 11.957 | 10.798 | 22.324 | 22.755 | 431 |
Settlement | 291 | 688 | 127 | 597 | 509 | 1.138 | 1.106 | -32 |
Qeqqata Kommunia | ||||||||
Total | 2.221 | 6.088 | 948 | 4.850 | 4.407 | 9.305 | 9.257 | -48 |
Town | 1.927 | 5.269 | 840 | 4.191 | 3.845 | 8.105 | 8.036 | -69 |
Settlement | 294 | 819 | 108 | 659 | 562 | 1.200 | 1.221 | 21 |
Kommune Qeqertalik | ||||||||
Total | 1.410 | 4.055 | 715 | 3.268 | 2.912 | 6.312 | 6.180 | -132 |
Town | 1.203 | 3.520 | 644 | 2.816 | 2.551 | 5.478 | 5.367 | -111 |
Settlement | 207 | 535 | 71 | 452 | 361 | 834 | 813 | -21 |
Avannaata Kommunia | ||||||||
Total | 2.598 | 7.320 | 990 | 5.761 | 5.147 | 10.820 | 10.908 | 88 |
Town | 1.837 | 5.315 | 759 | 4.145 | 3.766 | 7.833 | 7.911 | 78 |
Settlement | 761 | 2.005 | 231 | 1.616 | 1.381 | 2.987 | 2.997 | 10 |
Outside municipalities | ||||||||
Total | NA | 62 | 2 | 47 | 17 | 68 | 64 | -4 |
Source: Statistics Greenland – See table in StatBank https://bank.stat.gl/BEESTB
The population estimate in both Avannaata Kommunia and Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq increased while it decreased in the other municipalities. The increase was particularly strong again in Nuuk City, where the increase is calculated at 461 people. 34.1 pct. of the country’s population now live in Nuuk.
Source: Statistics Greenland – See table in StatBank https://bank.stat.gl/BEESTNUK
Chart 2 shows the development in migrations in the period 1993-2021. Until 2020, each year an average of 374 more people left Greenland. In 2021, 1,962 immigrants and 2,182 emigrants were undertaken. The net emigration in 2021 was therefore 222 people.
Source: Statistics Greenland – See table in StatBank https://bank.stat.gl/BEEBBIU2
Based on preliminary data the number of live births and deaths in 2021, the main figures for the population account are shown in Table 3.
2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Population (start of year) | 56.370 | 56.282 | 55.983 | 55.847 | 55.860 | 55.877 | 55.992 | 56.081 | 56.421 | 56.562 |
Birth | 820 | 805 | 854 | 830 | 853 | 819 | 849 | 835 | 761 | - |
Immigration | 2.066 | 2.148 | 2.186 | 2.451 | 2.287 | 2.316 | 2.310 | 1.911 | 1.962 | - |
Emigration | 2.513 | 2.733 | 2.691 | 2.763 | 2.736 | 2.514 | 2.609 | 1.953 | 2.184 | - |
Death | 444 | 461 | 472 | 487 | 499 | 487 | 548 | 521 | 531 | - |
Correction | -17 | -58 | -13 | -18 | 112 | -19 | 87 | 68 | 133 | - |
Population (end of year) | 56.282 | 55.983 | 55.847 | 55.860 | 55.877 | 55.992 | 56.081 | 56.421 | 56.562 | - |
Source: Statistics Greenland – See table in StatBank https://bank.stat.gl/BEECALC
In StatBank Greenland’s tables, the population is no longer calculated separately for sheep farms, as this information is not maintained in any administrative register. Sheep farms are now counted in the localities they are listed in the Greenland Address Register (GAR). To enable comparisons over time, StatBank Greenland’s tables have been recalculated on the basis of this information. The total number of inhabitants in the country’s settlements is now calculated a little higher than previous, as it now also includes sheep farms etc. When localities are grouped according to their size, the declining population of the localities is seen. Only the capital and the main settlements have experienced increasing population in recent years.
2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total | 56.370 | 56.282 | 55.983 | 55.847 | 55.860 | 55.877 | 55.992 | 56.081 | 56.421 | 56.562 |
Capital city | 16.454 | 16.818 | 16.992 | 17.316 | 17.600 | 17.796 | 17.984 | 18.326 | 18.800 | 19.261 |
Main settlements | 16.517 | 16.411 | 16.333 | 16.212 | 16.173 | 16.275 | 16.295 | 16.299 | 16.345 | 16.242 |
Larger settlements | 13.530 | 13.356 | 13.308 | 13.081 | 12.958 | 12.891 | 12.924 | 12.861 | 12.679 | 12.558 |
Settlements | 5.628 | 5.188 | 4.818 | 5.206 | 4.961 | 5.144 | 4.924 | 5.031 | 5.005 | 4.377 |
Smaller settlements | 3.764 | 4.012 | 4.030 | 3.512 | 3.707 | 3.280 | 3.387 | 3.124 | 3.171 | 3.590 |
Smallest settlements | 246 | 271 | 372 | 399 | 355 | 390 | 393 | 366 | 353 | 470 |
Other localities | 231 | 226 | 130 | 121 | 106 | 101 | 85 | 74 | 68 | 64 |
Source: Statistics Greenland – See table in StatBank https://bank.stat.gl/BEESTA
Many of the StatBank tables on population divide this by place of birth, in or outside Greenland. As a new table in 2021, the population can now be divided according to own, parents’ and grandparents’ place of birth.Of 6,060 people in 2021 who were born outside Greenland, 1,153 were born to at least one Greenlandic-born parent.The table must be updated with supplementary information from CPR, and when they are ready, the link under this table will contain the latest 2022 figures, from the end of February 2022.
2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
I alt | 56.282 | 55.983 | 55.847 | 55.860 | 55.877 | 55.992 | 56.081 | 56.421 | 54.840 |
A Født i Grønland med to grønlandskfødte forældre | 46.371 | 46.290 | 46.246 | 46.245 | 46.316 | 46.386 | 46.350 | 46.460 | 45.843 |
B Udenlandskfødte med 2 udenlandskfødte forældre | 4.939 | 4.720 | 4.696 | 4.656 | 4.591 | 4.620 | 4.782 | 4.907 | 4.073 |
C Grønlandskfødte med 2 udenlandskfødte forældre | 378 | 376 | 349 | 350 | 361 | 365 | 362 | 373 | 337 |
E Udenlandskfødte med én grønlandskfødt forælder | 661 | 667 | 656 | 674 | 669 | 657 | 635 | 652 | 628 |
F Grønlandskfødte med én udenlandskfødt forælder | 3.534 | 3.517 | 3.485 | 3.496 | 3.490 | 3.497 | 3.475 | 3.528 | 3.462 |
G Udenlandskfødte med to grønlandskfødte forældre | 399 | 413 | 415 | 439 | 450 | 467 | 477 | 501 | 497 |
Source: Statistics Greenland – See table in StatBank https://bank.stat.gl/BEEST9
The number of live births in a calendar year is partly explained by how many women there are to give birth to children and partly by how many children each woman gives birth to on average (fertility). Although in these years there will be fewer women of childbearing ages than before, Chart 4 shows a large decrease in fertility for the 20-30-year-old women in 2021, here compared with 2015 and 2020. Chart 5 shows that the decrease in total fertility is particularly strong for women residing outside the capital and the main localities..
Source:
1945-1949, Statistics Denmark, Statistical Yearbook
Statistics Greenland – See table in StatBank 1950-2021 https://bank.stat.gl/BEESAT2
Source: Statistics Greenland – See table in StatBank https://bank.stat.gl/BEEBBSF
Source: Statistics Greenland – See table in StatBank https://bank.stat.gl/BEEBBSF