Map Explainer: Greenland

Greenlanders will be voting in parliamentary elections today, and, while independence isn't on the ballot this time around, the territory's population will be choosing leaders who will define the territory's future at a critical junction in history.

The Danish autonomous territory hasn't historically been a powerhouse on the world stage, but it has increasingly been thrust into the spotlight in recent years. U.S. President Trump has repeatedly floated the idea of "buying" the territory, and there is growing interest from countries to move in to extract natural resources.

For those who are less familiar with Greenland, here are a few things to know.

Greenland is large in size, small in population

• The territory is the 11th largest in the world, around the same size as Saudi Arabia.
• Most of the territory's 56,000 people live along the south–western coast, adjacent to Canada. Nuuk is the largest city with a population of 20,000 people.
• The vast majority of people on the island are Inuit, with a small minority of Danish inhabitants.

Greenland isn't very green

• Around 80% of Greenland–the whole center of the island–is covered by the Greenland Ice Sheet.
• At its thickest point, ice sheet measures almost 2 miles (3 km) in depth, making it the largest concentration of ice in the northern hemisphere.

Greenland is strategically important in the region

• The island's location between North America and Europe makes it an important geopolitical location. During WWII, Greenland was dotted with military installations. Today, Denmark only maintains small outposts, many of which now serve more research purposes than military.
• The Daneborg base on the east coast of the island serves as the headquarters for Denmark's Sirius Dog Sled Patrol. The patrol was originally set up to deter German activity in WWII, but today it helps police the Northeast Greenland National Park (the world's largest protected land area).
• On the northwest coast of the island is the U.S. Pituffik Space Base, the northernmost installation of the U.S. Armed Forces. It's home to air force infrastructure, as well as missile early warning systems and space surveillance systems.
• As Russia and NATO countries continue to compete for control and influence in the Arctic, Greenland becomes even more important from a strategic standpoint.