Question 1

True or false: Polar bears roam freely in downtown Nuuk, Greenland's capital.

Accepted Answer

False. Polar bears rarely enter urban areas; they live on the remote east coast and sea ice, not near the capital.

Question 2

True or false: Greenland was named to attract settlers, despite being mostly ice-covered.

Accepted Answer

False. This is a myth—Erik the Red named it Greenland hoping to lure colonists, but the southern coast was actually green then.

Question 3

True or false: Greenland has more ice than any other country on Earth, including Antarctica.

Accepted Answer

False. Antarctica holds about 90% of Earth's ice; Greenland's ice sheet is second, but much smaller in volume.

Question 4

True or false: Greenland has no trees because the entire island is covered by a permanent ice sheet.

Accepted Answer

True. Only about 1% of Greenland is ice-free, but small birch and willow shrubs grow in sheltered southern valleys.

Question 5

True or false: Greenland is a fully independent country with its own military.

Accepted Answer

False. Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark, which handles its defense and foreign affairs.

Question 6

True or false: Greenland is the world's largest island that is not a continent.

Accepted Answer

True. Australia is a continent, so Greenland beats out New Guinea and Borneo for the largest island title.

Question 7

True or false: Greenland experiences 24 hours of darkness for six months straight each winter.

Accepted Answer

True. Only areas north of the Arctic Circle have polar night; southern Greenland gets a few hours of twilight daily.

Question 8

True or false: The capital city of Nuuk has more dogs than people.

Accepted Answer

True. Sled dogs outnumber humans in Nuuk due to traditional hunting culture and strict dog-keeping laws in the region.

Greenland Trivia Questions