Same population estimate as last year

January 1st 2018 there lived 55.877 persons in Greenland. Thus, the population increased by 17 persons during 2017 and the population count is almost unchanged.

 

Summary table 1. Population January 1st 2009-2018

 

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

Total

56.193

56.452

56.615

56.749

56.370

56.282

55.983

55.847

55.860

55.877

Men

29.808

29.936

29.942

30.041

29.838

29.730

29.555

29.543

29.493

29.489

Women

26.385

26.516

26.673

26.708

26.532

26.552

26.428

26.304

26.367

26.388

Source: Statistics Greenland,  http://bank.stat.gl/beest1

 

In both Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq, Qaasuitsup Kommunia and the new municipality Kommune Qeqartalik the population estimate rose in 2017. Particularly in Nuuk, where the increase amounted to 196 persons. 31.8 per cent. (17,796) of the population now lives in Nuuk.

 

In total the population estimates for the settlements decreased by 225 persons from 7,356 to 7,131. However, the high displacement in Avannaata Kommunia was not voluntary but caused by the natural disaster that struck the settlements Illorsuit and Nuugaatsiaq in the summer of 2017.

 

Figure 1. Population in settlements 1977-2017

Source: Statistics Greenland,  http://bank.stat.gl/beest1

 

Summary table 2 Population in municipalities 2018

 

-16

17-64

65+

Men

Women

Total

2017

Total

2018

Change from 2017 to 2018

Total

13.130

38.110

4.637

29.489

26.388

55.860

55.877

17

Towns

11.260

33.224

4.008

25.410

23.082

48.248

48.492

244

Settlements

1.830

4.688

613

3.906

3.225

7.356

7.131

-225

Stations

-

88

2

75

15

94

90

-4

Farms

40

93

13

84

62

141

146

5

Unknown

-

17

1

14

4

21

18

-3

Kommune Kujalleq

1.481

4.361

782

3.503

3.121

6.692

6.624

-68

Towns

1.291

3.761

642

2.969

2.725

5.725

5.694

-31

Settlements

150

509

128

452

335

829

787

-42

Stations

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Farms

40

91

12

82

61

138

143

5

Unknown

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq

5.272

16.031

1.435

11.975

10.763

22.673

22.738

65

Towns

4.935

15.272

1.316

11.311

10.212

21.432

21.523

91

Settlements

337

752

118

657

550

1.232

1.207

-25

Stations

-

3

-

3

-

1

3

2

Farms

-

2

1

2

1

3

3

-

Unknown

-

2

-

2

-

5

2

-3

Qeqqata Kommunia

2.175

6.255

865

4.960

4.335

9.239

9.295

56

Towns

1.883

5.365

777

4.260

3.765

7.975

8.025

50

Settlements

292

890

88

700

570

1.264

1.270

6

Stations

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Farms

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Unknown

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Kommune Qeqertalik

1.567

4.289

677

3.397

3.136

6.500

6.533

33

Towns

1.322

3.703

608

2.901

2.732

5.628

5.633

5

Settlements

245

586

69

496

404

872

900

28

Stations

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Farms

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Unknown

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Avannaata Kommunia

2.635

7.074

875

5.570

5.014

10.647

10.584

-63

Towns

1.829

5.123

665

3.969

3.648

7.488

7.617

129

Settlements

806

1.951

210

1.601

1.366

3.159

2.967

-192

Stations

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Farms

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Unknown

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Outside Municipalities

-

100

3

84

19

109

103

-6

Source: Statistics Greenland,  http://bank.stat.gl/beest2

 

Figure 2. Neighborhoods in Nuuk 1994 – 2018

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

 

The figure below shows the development of migration in the period 1993-2017. On average, 403 more people moved from Greenland than to, each year throughout the period. In 2017 a total of 2,287 people immigrated while 2,736 people emigrated. Net emigration in 2017 was therefore 449 persons,  markedly higher than the average annual net emigration since 1993.

 

Figure 3. Migrations 1993 - 2017

  

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

 

Figure 4. Foreign citizens 1977-2018

Source: Statistics Greenland,  http://bank.stat.gl/beest6

 

Summary table 3. Foreign citizens 2012-2018

 

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

Total

920

978

986

974

1057

1017

970

 

Europe and Northamerica

Total

619

650

640

598

670

607

531

Men

439

464

452

429

487

429

370

Women

180

186

188

169

183

178

161

 

Others

Total

301

328

346

376

387

410

439

Men

122

138

140

154

157

166

194

Women

179

190

206

222

230

244

245

Source: Statistics Greenland,  http://bank.stat.gl/beest6

 

The number of foreign citizens has been declining for the past couple of years. In total there now live 970 foreign citizens in the country. From the table in our StatBank it can be found that especially Icelandic citizens have left Greenland (from 204 persons in 2016 to 127 this year). Philippine citizens now counts 215 (22.2 pct) of foreigners in Greenland.

 

Based on a preliminary calculation of the number of live births and deaths in 2017 shows the key figures for population trends in 2017 ( summary table 4)

 

Summary table 4. Population Account 2017

Population January 1st 2017

55.860

+ number of liveborn (provisional)

859

- number of death (provisional)

499

+ immigrants

2.287

- emigrants

2.736

- Corrections (provisional)

-106

Population Januar 1st 2018

55.877

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

 

Detailed tables can be found in our Statbank (http://bank.stat.gl)