MigrantoImmigrants in Greenland
5.5K foreigners live in Greenland — 10% of the country's population
Immigrants in Greenland by country
The 3 largest groups make up 88% of all immigrants
| Country | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| Denmark | 4470 |
| Faroe Islands | 269 |
| Iceland | 157 |
| Thailand | 151 |
| Philippines | 125 |
| Sweden | 84 |
| Norway | 64 |
| Germany | 55 |
| USA | 37 |
| Poland | 29 |
| Bulgaria | 17 |
| Romania | 14 |
| United Kingdom | 14 |
| Canada | 14 |
| France | 13 |
| Finland | 12 |
| China | 10 |
By region of origin
94% of immigrants come from Europe
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Key facts
Immigrants in Greenland in numbers
Immigration offsets population decline
Immigration has made up for 298% of the population decline of Greenland since 1990.
Immigrants come from a wider range of countries than in 1990
The largest group's share fell from 93% to 81%.
1 in 10 residents of Greenland was born abroad
5.5K of 56.8K residents were born abroad — 9.7% of the population.
Immigrant population in Greenland over time
Foreigners living in Greenland, by year
| Year | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 9222 |
| 1995 | 7039 |
| 2000 | 6479 |
| 2005 | 6407 |
| 2010 | 5884 |
| 2015 | 5727 |
| 2020 | 5618 |
| 2024 | 5535 |
Largest groups over time
The 5 largest groups in Greenland, by year
| Year | Danes | Faroese | Icelanders | Thais | Filipinos |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 8550 | 261 | 21 | 3 | 1 |
| 1995 | 6476 | 278 | 25 | 12 | 5 |
| 2000 | 5726 | 257 | 123 | 35 | 6 |
| 2005 | 5733 | 190 | 104 | 62 | 9 |
| 2010 | 4983 | 254 | 95 | 126 | 50 |
| 2015 | 4614 | 279 | 163 | 157 | 130 |
| 2020 | 4539 | 273 | 159 | 153 | 127 |
| 2024 | 4470 | 269 | 157 | 151 | 125 |
Fastest-changing groups
How each group's numbers have changed since the selected year
Share of each diaspora living in Greenland
Of each group's emigrants worldwide, the share who live in Greenland
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many foreigners live in Greenland?
Around 5.5K immigrants live in Greenland — the world's #204 largest immigrant population.
What percentage of the population of Greenland are immigrants?
Immigrants make up around 10% of the population of Greenland — that's 5.5K out of a total population of 56.8K.
Where do most immigrants in Greenland come from?
Most immigrants in Greenland come from Denmark, Faroe Islands and Iceland — these three countries account for about 88% of all immigrants.
How many Danes live in Greenland?
Around 4.5K Danes live in Greenland — about 81% of all immigrants, the largest group.
Is the immigrant population in Greenland growing?
Barely — over the past decade, the number of immigrants in Greenland has changed from 5.7K to 5.5K, about 3%.
Where does the data on immigrants in Greenland come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born abroad who now live in Greenland. Their children born in Greenland are not included.
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Living in Greenland
See the full country overview