January 1st 2012 there lived 56 749 persons in Greenland. Thus, the population increased by 134 persons during 2011.
Summary table 1. Population January 1st 2003-2012
|
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
Total |
56.676 |
56.863 |
56.972 |
56.901 |
56.648 |
56.462 |
56.194 |
56.452 |
56.615 |
56.749 |
Male |
30.249 |
30.335 |
30.322 |
30.182 |
30.005 |
29.885 |
29.809 |
29.936 |
29.942 |
30.041 |
Female |
26.427 |
26.528 |
26.650 |
26.719 |
26.643 |
26.577 |
26.385 |
26.516 |
26.673 |
26.708 |
Source: Statistics Greenland, http://bank.stat.gl/beest1
Of the country's 4 municipalities Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq were the only one to have a rising population in 2011. In the other municipalities, the population declined slightly, as shown in Summary table 2
Especially growing is the population in towns, while the population in the country's settlements decreases. Figure 1 shows that just over the last 5-6 years the total population in settlements declined from 9,000 to 8,000 people.
Figure 1. Population in settlements 1977-2012
Source: Statistics Greenland, http://bank.stat.gl/beest1
Summary table 2 Population in municipalities 2012
|
-16 |
17-64 |
65+ |
Male |
Female |
Total 2011 |
Total 2012 |
Change from 2011 to 2012 |
Total |
13.359 |
39.295 |
4.095 |
30.041 |
26.708 |
56.615 |
56.749 |
134 |
Towns |
11.140 |
33.621 |
3.471 |
25.341 |
22.891 |
47.857 |
48.232 |
375 |
Settlements |
2.146 |
5.264 |
607 |
4.366 |
3.651 |
8.239 |
8.017 |
-222 |
Stations |
23 |
257 |
4 |
203 |
81 |
325 |
284 |
-41 |
Farms |
50 |
108 |
12 |
97 |
73 |
172 |
170 |
-2 |
Unknown |
- |
45 |
1 |
34 |
12 |
22 |
46 |
24 |
Kommune Kujalleq |
1.693 |
4.978 |
746 |
3.933 |
3.484 |
7.441 |
7.417 |
-24 |
Towns |
1.431 |
4.244 |
607 |
3.291 |
2.991 |
6.273 |
6.282 |
9 |
Settlements |
214 |
628 |
127 |
549 |
420 |
996 |
969 |
-27 |
Station |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Farms |
48 |
102 |
11 |
92 |
69 |
167 |
161 |
-6 |
Unknown |
- |
4 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
- |
Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq |
5.098 |
15.549 |
1.166 |
11.517 |
10.296 |
21.559 |
21.813 |
254 |
Towns |
4.638 |
14.522 |
1.057 |
10.632 |
9.585 |
19.919 |
20.217 |
298 |
Settlements |
435 |
913 |
108 |
790 |
666 |
1.482 |
1.456 |
-26 |
Station |
23 |
102 |
- |
84 |
41 |
153 |
125 |
-28 |
Farms |
2 |
6 |
1 |
5 |
4 |
5 |
9 |
4 |
Unknown |
- |
6 |
- |
6 |
- |
- |
6 |
6 |
Qeqqata Kommunia |
2.258 |
6.661 |
719 |
5.124 |
4.514 |
9.684 |
9.638 |
-46 |
Towns |
1.954 |
5.684 |
648 |
4.348 |
3.938 |
8.245 |
8.286 |
41 |
Settlements |
304 |
977 |
71 |
776 |
576 |
1.439 |
1.352 |
-87 |
Station |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Farms |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Unknown |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Qaasuitsup Kommunia |
4.310 |
11.917 |
1.460 |
9.321 |
8.366 |
17.742 |
17.687 |
-55 |
Towns |
3.117 |
9.171 |
1.159 |
7.070 |
6.377 |
13.420 |
13.447 |
27 |
Settlements |
1.193 |
2.746 |
301 |
2.251 |
1.989 |
4.322 |
4.240 |
-82 |
Station |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Farms |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Unknown |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Outside municipals |
- |
190 |
4 |
146 |
48 |
189 |
194 |
5 |
Source: Statistics Greenland, http://bank.stat.gl/beest2
Figure 2. Neighborhoods in Nuuk 1994 - 2012
Source: Statistics Greenland, http://bank.stat.gl/beestnuk
The figure below shows the development of migration in the period 1993-2011. Every year throughout the period, more people moved from Greenland than to. In 201 immigrated as 2,283 people while 2,442 people emigrated. Net emigration in 2011 of 159 persons was unchanged from 2010, but significantly lower than in previous years, actually the lowest number since 1988.
Figure 3. Migrations 1993 - 2011
Source: Statistics Greenland, http://bank.stat.gl/beebbiu2
The low net emigration the past few years is partly due to immigration of foreign citizens.
Figure 4. Foreign citizens 1977-2012
Source: Statistics Greenland, http://bank.stat.gl/beest6
Overall, over the past 6 years the number of foreign citizens increased by 481 persons from 502 in 2007 to 920 at January 1st 2012.
Summary table 3. Foreign citizens 2007-2012
Source: Statistics Greenland, http://bank.stat.gl/beest6
Based on a preliminary calculation of the number live births and deaths in 2011 the main figures of population trends in 2011is listed in summary table 4
Summary table 4. Population trends 2011
Population January 1st 2011 |
56.615 |
+ number of liveborn (provisional) |
821 |
- number of death (provisional) |
470 |
+ immigrants |
2.283 |
- emigrants |
2.442 |
- Corrections |
-58 |
Population Januar 1st 2012 |
56.749 |
Detailed tables can be found in our Statbank (http://bank.stat.gl)