History of Greenland

History of Greenland is really colorful and rich with thousands years of fascinating background. Around 4,500 years ago Greenland was first inhabited. The earliest residents of Greenland could not survive due to exceptionally cold climate and scarcity of food due to poor hunting. Maniitsoq is an area in Greenland where you can find the signs of their presence. Around 3000 years this place has remained uninhabited.

The history of Greenland tells that the next migration to this island came from the east. Thorwaldsson explored southern coast of Greenland between 982 and 985 AD and around 986 AD he led a group of Viking families from Iceland and made them settle at Brattahlid which is also known as Qassiarsuk. Due to the warm climate prevailing in the island the crops grew well at that time which might be the reason to be the island named as “Greenland”.

Leif Ericsson who was the son of Erik the Red made his voyage to North America around 1000 AD. The first Christian missionary was brought to Greenland from Norway around 999 or 1000 AD by Leif Eriksson. The first church of Greenland was Thjodhildurs Church at Brattahild.

The ancestors of modern Inuit Greenlanders arrived Greenland in 1200 AD from the northwest. The Inuit people survived and developed a society that perfectly fitted the increasingly hostile climate of Greenland. These people inhabited the island for several hundred years.

According to the history of Greenland, the World War II made Greenland isolated from Denmark, economically and socially. During this time Greenland was more attached to United States and Canada. After World War II Denmark got back the control over Greenland. Greenland is still a part of Denmark but it since 1979 it has been enjoying home rule.

The people of Greenland have ordinary civic right like the ordinary Danish citizens and they enjoy much improved general health and educational facilities.

Tours to Greenland