more-than-57-pc-greenlanders-want-to-join-the-us-poll

A new survey report's findings reveal that 57.3 per cent of Greenland’s total population supports US President-elect Donald Trump's recent proposal to make the island an American territory.

 

Similarly, the number of those rejecting Trump’s proposal stands at 37.4 per cent while 5.3 per cent population remained undecided, revealed the study conducted by US research firm Patriot Polling.

 

“Our survey results find that a substantial majority of Greenlandic residents support joining the US,” the pollster’s statement read.

 

The survey was conducted between 6 and 11 January and involved the participants from Greenland, while Donald Trump’s son was on tour to the Danish autonomous territory.

 

This was the first time that US-based Patriot Polling had conducted their survey outside the United States.

 

Trump, who had offered to buy Greenland from Copenhagen during his first term in office, has returned to the issue in recent weeks.

 

At a press conference last Tuesday, he refused to rule out using force to bring the world’s largest island under Washington’s control, saying: “It might be that you will have to do something... We need Greenland for national security purposes.”

 

However, Greenland’s Prime Minister, Mute Egede, said on Friday that “Greenland is for Greenlandic people. We have no interest in becoming Danish, nor do we want to be American.”

 

“We want to remain an independent nation and promised to hold a referendum on the issue,” he said, adding that “it will come soon.”

 

Subsequently, he affirmed his interest in cooperating with Trump and expressed his desire to have talks with him on security issues.

 

Meanwhile, in 2008, Greenland held a non-binding referendum on increased autonomy from Denmark, resulting in 75% voter approval and a 72% turnout. This led to the 2009 Self-Government Act, granting the island greater control over its internal affairs.

 

Spanning an area of 2.2 million sq km (about six times the size of Germany), Greenland is home to fewer than 57,000 people and is 80% covered with ice.

 

The island is rich in gold, silver, copper, and uranium deposits and is believed to have vast oil reserves in its territorial waters, which according to experts is another reason for Donald Trump’s interest in the island.