Discover the Frozen Wonders: Top 11 Fascinating and Fun Facts About Greenland You Never Knew!

1. Ice Sheet Extravaganza

If your thirst for ice is as insatiable as a polar bear raiding an Arctic ice stash, you've come to the right spot: Greenland's Ice Sheet puts the 'world' in 'water world', ranking as the globe's second-largest ice body which sprawls majestically over 1.7 million square kilometers! No more sorbet for dessert – with over 3 kilometers of thickness at some points, this icy giant holds nearly 10% of Earth's total freshwater reserves, giving a whole new meaning to the phrase "cool and collected!"
Source => nsidc.org

2. Endless Happy Hour

Step aside "Land of the Midnight Sun," we've got "Land of the Endless Happy Hour" coming through: In Greenland, during summertime, the sun never fully sets in the northern parts, which causes the "midnight sun" phenomenon, while southern towns like Qaqortoq and Nanortalik still bask in nearly 20 hours of daylight, perfect for adventurous frolics and jaunts in nature.
Source => visitgreenland.com

Discover how Iceland takes a unique approach to NATO membership — without any military forces of their own, they still contribute in surprising ways! 🚤🕵️‍♂️🇮🇸

=> Fun Facts about Iceland

3. Mummies of the Frozen North

In the land where frostbite is more common than mosquito bites, the ultimate cold case was cracked open: In 1972, researchers discovered eight remarkably well-preserved Greenland Mummies, dating back to A.D 1475, with temperature-related tattooing among six women, providing a fascinating and nondestructive glimpse into Greenland's rich history.
Source => ulethbridge.ca

4. Glacier Margaritas

When life gives you glaciers, make margaritas: Witness the Austfonna Ice Cap in Greenland, the world's longest non-polar glacier covering 6,900 square miles and reaching 560 meters thick in some parts, where you can marvel at the blue hues, and might even catch a glimpse of reindeer, Arctic foxes, or polar bears in their natural habitat.
Source => polardreamtravel.com

5. Arctic Metropolitan Life

Fancy a coffee in the Arctic? Greenland's got you covered, with trendy cafes, shopping, and entertainment that'll thaw your frozen heart: This icy wonderland boasts small yet modern cities interconnected by "roads in the clouds," frequent flights that shrink distances and deliver worldly experiences to the local population.
Source => visitgreenland.com

6. Vikings Turned Snowbunnies

Before they could say "hold my mead", the Norse settlers found themselves trading Viking helmets for parkas and gloves in Greenland: In the 10th century, Greenland saw Norse inhabitants settle, adapt to the harsh conditions, establish farms, interact with the Inuit, and build the first Christian church in North America, debunking the idea that their presence was a mere Viking pillage break.
Source => greenland-guide.gl

7. Iceberg Wakeboarding

Chilling with giants and carving through Arctic waves like a frosty Tony Hawk: a wakeboarding pioneer dared to dance among icebergs in Greenland's freezing waters, overcoming unpredictable icy formations and a makeshift tow-boat to pull off extraordinary stunts in this breathtakingly icy playground.
Source => redbull.com

8. Greenland's Size Envy

Greenland must've had a rough time with cartographers who firmly believed in the adage, "go big or go home": Thanks to the Mercator Projection, this misunderstood landmass appears gigantic on most world maps, when, in reality, it's only a smidge larger than Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom combined, or about 2 million km². Just imagine, Greenland could get cozy three-and-a-half times inside Australia and be merely 4.2 times smaller than the United States!
Source => blogs.egu.eu

9. World Ice Golf Championship

Who needs a tropical getaway when you can tee off on a frozen fjord playing Red Snows at Night, Golfers' Delight? Welcome to Uummannaq, Greenland – the ultimate ice golf challenge: Since 1999, the annual World Ice Golf Championship is held in Uummannaq on a fresh nine-hole course laid out on the fjord ice, where golfers with handicaps up to 36 play a 36-hole stroke competition over two days in freezing conditions, using red golf balls and avoiding graphite clubs to prevent shattering, while also battling snow blindness.
Source => golf-information.info

10. Northern Lights Dance Party

Feeling the Arctic groove as you dance beneath nature's psychedelic disco ball: Greenland offers the chance to witness the Northern Lights up to 300 nights a year, particularly from September to March or April in popular destinations like Kangerlussuaq, Sisimiut, Ilulissat, and Nuuk - just remember, the ultimate viewing party requires a dark sky and less densely populated areas.
Source => greenland-travel.com

11. Speedy Jakobshavn Glacier

Move over, Speedy Gonzales! There's a new speedster on the block and it belongs to the cold, distant land of Greenland: The Jakobshavn Glacier zips along at an impressive 45 meters per day, resulting in about 35 billion tonnes of annual icebergs and significantly contributing to rising sea levels, while also causing earthquakes through ice-fjord interactions that make it a fascinating study in climate change and glaciology.
Source => en.wikipedia.org