The Land of Snow: Greenland Class 5 Notes SST

Introduction 

• Imagine a place where snow and ice cover the land almost all year! 
• That’s Greenland—a giant island located near the North Pole. 
• Even though it belongs to North America, it’s so far north that it’s closer to Europe. 
• Greenland is surrounded by the icy waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the Arctic Ocean.

Greenland

Greenland, the biggest island on Earth, sits close to the North Pole. It's covered in snow and ice all year long. The people who first lived there are called the Inuits. They have a special name for their country, Kalaallit Nunaat, which means 'Land of the People' in Greenlandic language. 

Greenland

Location

•  There are two cold regions on Earth, one in each hemisphere. 
•  The North Pole is located in the northern cold region, while the South Pole is found in the southern cold region. 
•  The northern cold region is situated between the Arctic Circle and the North Pole (90°N). 
•  The southern cold region lies between the Antarctic Circle and the South Pole (90°S). 
•  A large part of the cold regions is covered in snow. 
•  About 98% of the land in these areas is covered with ice. 
•  The remaining 2% of the land consists of barren rocks. 
•  The northern cold region includes places such as Canada, Greenland, parts of North America, parts of Asia, Siberia, and the northern areas of Europe.
• Greenland is located to the northeast of North America.
• Most of the island lies above the Arctic Circle.
• It is separated from the northern islands of Canada by the Baffin Bay and the Davis Strait.
• Greenland is a territory of Denmark.

Artic Region

Land 

• Greenland is a large island that spans about 2.15 million square kilometres.
• A significant portion of the island appears white because around 80 per cent of its surface is constantly covered in snow and ice.
• The ice sheet on Greenland is very thick, about 1,500 meters on average, and some of it may have been there since the last ice age. 
• Sometimes, large chunks of ice break off from the ice sheets and float in the sea; we call these icebergs. 
• They look like giant frozen mountains in the water. It's hard to see them because of thick fog, and they can be dangerous for ships that sail in this area.

Climate 

•  In the polar regions, summer and winter are very different! 
•  During summer, the sun never sets, resulting in continuous daylight. 
•  In contrast, during winter, the night lasts forever, and it remains dark all the time. 
•  These regions, known as the Frigid Zones, receive very little sunlight. 
•  The temperature often falls to -40°C or even lower, making it extremely cold. 
•  It is so cold that the temperature stays below freezing most of the time. 
•  In summer, temperatures rise slightly, ranging from 3°C to 12°C. 
•  However, summer lasts only a short period, just two or three months. 
•  Rain and snow are also uncommon in these regions, with only 15 to 30 cm of precipitation each year. 
•  The South Pole in Antarctica is the coldest and windiest place on Earth. 
•  It holds the record for the lowest temperature ever recorded at -88°C! 
•  Surprisingly, most of Antarctica receives less than 5 cm of snow each year, making it one of the driest places on the planet. 
•  Living in these conditions is difficult, but some animals and people have figured out how to survive in this extreme environment! 

Climate of Greenland

Flora and Fauna in Greenland

Vegetation

• The climate in the polar regions is extremely cold, making it hard for most plants to grow. This is why these areas are called cold deserts.
• During the brief summer, some ice melts, which allows tough plants like mosses, liverworts, lichens, grasses, and bushes to grow.
• These plants have special adaptations that help them survive the cold and dry conditions of the polar regions.
• The only types of flowering plants found in these areas are Antarctic hair grass and Antarctic pearlwort.
• There are no forests in the polar regions, but some fruits like blueberries, cranberries, and wild currants, along with lichens, can survive in these tough surroundings.

Wildlife

• The frigid zone has very few plants, but it is home to a surprising variety of wildlife.
• Animals in this area are specially adapted to live in the extreme cold.
• In the Arctic, you can find:
  • Polar bears
  • Reindeer
  • Caribou
  • Arctic foxes
  • Snowy owls
  • Huskies that assist in hunting and pulling sleds
• In Antarctica, the wildlife includes:
  • Seals
  • Krill
  • Dragonfish
  • Elephant seals
• Both birds and fish also thrive in these icy environments.

Huskies pulling sledge

Economic Activities 

• The Inuits, also known as Eskimos, came to Greenland from North America a long time ago and settled there.
• Eskimos rely on animals for food, making hunting their primary job.
• They use a harpoon, which is a spear with a rope, to catch whales and large fish.
• Sometimes, they attach leather balloons to the rope to prevent the animal from sinking.
• On land, they hunt polar bears and hares.
• In the sea, they catch seals, walruses, and big fish by making holes in the ice for the animals to breathe.
• Eskimos use every part of the animals they hunt:
  1. Meat for food
  2. Skin for clothing and tents
  3. Fat for oil
  4. Bones for tools and boats
• They transport their hunted animals on sledges, which are like carts without wheels.
• Huskies and reindeer pull these sledges, making them the main way to travel on snowy ground.

Life of the People in Greenland 

• Inuits or Eskimos have adapted to the tough weather conditions over time.
• Inuits are typically short and sturdy, with flat faces, narrow eyes, and yellowish skin.
• They wear clothes made from seal skins, like parkas with hoods, double trousers, and tall boots to stay warm. 
• During winter, people in the far north build Igloos from large blocks of ice for shelter. 
• These igloos have a hole in the top for smoke to escape and are lined with animal skins. 
• In summer, they live in tents made of animal hide called tou pigs. Nowadays, many live in modern houses. 
• Inuits are hardworking, cheerful, and welcoming. They used to survive by hunting, fishing, and gathering plants, but now they can buy things from other countries.

An Insuit Family

Occupation 

• Inuits are skilled at fishing and hunting. 
• They hunt animals for their meat, skin, and fat. In the past, they used harpoons, but now they use automatic rifles. 
• For hunting sea animals, they use small boats called kayaks, and for whales, they use broader boats called umiaks, which are also used for transportation. 
• On land, they use sledges. In recent times, their lifestyle has changed a lot. Now they use motorboats and motorized sledges. 
• Many Inuits work in mines and oilfields, and lots of them have moved to towns and cities.

Motorboats

Cities in Greenland

• The thick ice sheet limits where people can live, so most settlements are along the coast of Greenland. 
• There are only a few big towns there. Nuuk, also known as Godthab, is the capital and the largest city. 
• Sisimiut and Ilulissat are other major cities. The whole population of Greenland is about 56,000 people.