Migrations

Since the 1970s, net migration has varied greatly from year to year. With few exceptions, emigration generally exceeds immigration. In the early 1990s a significant decline in immigration led to a large net outflow, so great, that the birth rate could not prevent a decline in the total population. From 2005 to 2008 net emigration was markedly higher than in previous years, especially among ‘persons born in Greenland’.

 

Summary table 8.1. Netimmigration by place of birth. 2001-2012

 

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

 

Total

Net immigrations

-288

-345

-236

-448

-644

-566

-639

-189

-160

-159

-709

Immigrations

2.129

2.388

2.482

2.514

2.404

2.417

2.536

2.551

2.491

2.283

2.191

Emigrations

2.417

2.733

2.718

2.962

3.048

2.983

3.175

2.740

2.651

2.442

2.900

 

Born Greenland

Net immigrations

-357

-315

-191

-382

-468

-507

-653

-278

-291

-310

-612

Immigrations

627

826

923

870

890

886

907

1.076

1.043

905

871

Emigrations

984

1.141

1.114

1.252

1.358

1.393

1.560

1.354

1.334

1.215

1.483

 

Born outside Greenland

Net immigrations

69

-30

-45

-66

-176

-59

14

89

131

151

-97

Immigrations

1.502

1.562

1.559

1.644

1.514

1.531

1.629

1.475

1.448

1.378

1.320

Emigrations

1.433

1.592

1.604

1.710

1.690

1.590

1.615

1.386

1.317

1.227

1.417

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

 

More than nine of 10 migrations are between Denmark and Greenland. The remaining migrations are primarily to or from the other Scandinavian countries.