Life In GREENLAND - THE COLDEST COUNTRY on Earth (-93.3°F) - GREENLAND DOCUMENTARY VLOG

Numerous factors contribute to making life meaningful and enjoyable. Almost everyone appreciates certain beauties in life and has a sense of purpose. Regardless of their character, people often feel a deep admiration for the grandeur of nature. It's hard to deny the elegance that our planet's atmosphere offers. There exists a place on earth known as the coldest inhabited center in the northern hemisphere. This location is filled with challenges that could discourage anyone from enjoying life. It feels almost like a separate planet, making one grateful for the geography they inhabit. This remarkable place is Greenland, an island you may not have heard of. Greenland is a vast island covered in ice, situated at the extremes of the world. With an area of about 2 million square kilometers, over 80% of its land is ice covered. The temperatures are frigid enough to chill the blood of those who live there. Greenland lies north of the Atlantic Ocean and is not entirely an independent country. It has an autonomous structure and is affiliated with the Kingdom of Denmark, with its people bearing significant traces of Danish culture. The capital and largest city of Greenland is Nuuk, which has a population of approximately 20,000 people. Across the entire country, around 60,000 individuals are trying to survive. You may wonder how these people came to inhabit this icy island, which is isolated from the mainland. About 1,200 years ago, Norwegian and Icelandic sailors discovered Greenland, a place that had previously been unknown to Europeans. Despite the extreme cold, they believed it could serve as a refuge when necessary and could be transformed into a trading post. Subsequently, Norwegian and Danish sailors brought more people to Greenland, and even during those early times, the population reached around 2,000 individuals. Then, trade colonies began to be established, as the Scandinavians sought to develop trade and agriculture, but they ultimately struggled to succeed in the long term. Contrary to popular belief, the main reason life could not become sustainable in Greenland, and why the population did not increase, was not the cold weather. The animals brought to Greenland by the Vikings perished one by one due to drought, and the soil was so unproductive that farmers were unable to grow fertile grass and trees. The inability to sustain agriculture because of the drought forced many Scandinavians to migrate back from Greenland, leaving only a few who remained for trade purposes. An intriguing aspect of life in Greenland was the presence of the Inuit people, also known as Eskimos. They had walked to Greenland thousands of years ago during the Ice Age, long before Scandinavian sailors arrived. In ancient times, when Greenland was still connected to the mainland, the Inuit chose to inhabit these lands for generations. Today, the few people living in Greenland are descendants of the Scandinavians who came here for trade hundreds of years ago, as well as the indigenous Inu people who settled the land thousands of years ago. The Scandinavians visited during the summer, and noted that much of the area was green at that time. Thus, they named it Greenland due to its greenery. Foreigners still refer to the land by this name today. In the 20th century, Greenland was granted membership in the European Union. However, in 1985, the country decided to leave the EU following a public vote. This decision was made because the European Union was imposing restrictions on Greenland's primary source of livelihood, fishing, and on the export of its fish to the global market. The EU also interfered with Greenland's fish reserves, drawn by the fact that the territory contains about 35 percent of the world's uranium and iron reserves. In a way, European Union countries would continue to exploit Greenland if it remained a member. Therefore, Greenland chose to leave and pursue its own path. Today, Greenland is still accountable to Denmark, but it has the authority to make many large-scale decisions. However, survival without Denmark seems difficult. Denmark provides nearly $1 billion each year to sustain life in Greenland. Occasionally, countries like China, Russia, and the United States show interest in Greenland because it contains significant deposits of uranium and iron. Additionally, Greenland boasts the world's largest fish reserves, which is an attractive asset. In present-day Greenland, if a person wants to receive an education or access health services in Denmark, the Danish government covers all expenses. However, individuals cannot buy land in Greenland. If someone wishes to build a house or shop in a particular area, they can obtain permission from the state, pay taxes, and use that land for their purposes. Therefore, private land ownership is not possible in Greenland. Most of the houses built in the capital region, Nuuk, are government-supported structures, many of which are colorful. These houses can be purchased, with prices averaging around $350,000. On the other hand, Greenland can be harsh, and is often described as a frozen landscape, which may not appeal to everyone. However, if you give the country a chance, you will discover many remarkable details. Even in a land covered in ice, life can spring from the greenery, and you will find an environment free from car exhaust and factory smoke, resulting in clean air. Most importantly, the people are friendly and generally happy. They coexist with polar bears, seals, and whales, and in small communities, almost everyone knows one another. Fostering a strong sense of camaraderie and goodwill. People in Greenland do not have political obsessions, and are not enemies of nature. They value community, love, and support one another. The Inuit and the Scandinavians are the true inhabitants of these lands, and they are united in Greenland. This unity is why you won't find signs of malevolence in the region. Family is the most essential element for survival. Almost no one lives alone in Greenland because life there is nearly impossible without support. People must keep their families together, as our primary goal as humans is to combat the cold and survive. One of their biggest fears is the melting and disappearance of the glaciers surrounding their The melting of these glaciers threatens their existence and, ultimately, ours as well. The rise in sea levels evokes doomsday scenarios for coastal areas. Furthermore, they are not immune to disasters. Sudden tsunamis from the sea can occasionally devastate sailors' boats. Those living in Greenland must understand nature's language and remain vigilant, as they can be swept into the icy sea with little warning. The ocean is unforgiving. Even the capital, Nuuk, faces significant challenges regarding quality of life, health care, and transportation. The situation is further complicated by the isolation of living on an island, making it nearly impossible to access services from other countries quickly. It often feels like you have landed on a remote planet, with no connection to the rest of the world. This isolation contributes to Greenland being a largely inaccessible country with many inadequate facilities. Another significant issue in Greenland is the difficulty of finding a partner for marriage. Due to the small population, many people struggle to meet potential spouses. Those unable to find a partner often turn to local authorities for assistance in matchmaking. Additionally, if a married person loses their spouse, there may be societal pressure to remarry and have children to prevent the population from declining even further. In some families, a woman may even have more than one husband. This pressure stems from the community's desire to ensure survival and reproduction. The smaller the population, the more challenging life becomes for those who remain. One significant issue in Greenland is the lack of an established infrastructure. As a result, garbage dumps have been created in uninhabited areas, where all human waste is collected. In the short term, it is unlikely that Greenland will become a major garbage dump. However, in the long run, substantial waste accumulation could occur. Furthermore, internet service is not available in most parts of the country. While there is an internet connection in the capital, Nuuk, it costs 1,300 Danish kroner, and the speed is quite slow. Transportation on the coldest island in the world presents its own challenges. In Greenland, motorcycles and cars are rare, with only a few vehicles visible in Nuuk. In rural areas, the primary mode of transport, especially during the winter months, is by sled. The extreme cold can cause temperatures to plummet to minus 50 degrees Celsius, making motorized vehicles unreliable and prone to breaking down. Additionally, the underdeveloped industry in the country makes vehicle repairs labor-intensive and costly. For this reason, many residents use Siberian huskies for transportation, harnessing them to sleds to move goods or travel from one place to another. In the village, when someone needs to be rushed to the hospital, they must request a helicopter. With a population of 4,000 people, there are also more than 3,000 wolves in the area. The villagers use these wolves not only for transportation, but also to track animals they want to hunt. In addition to the technological challenges, proper fruits and vegetables do not grow in the country. Currently, hunting is the primary means of sustenance. The villagers venture out to sea by boat to hunt polar bears and seals using rifles. After hunting, they skin the animals and keep the meat for food. This practice helps them address their hunger needs and provides materials to make clothing from the skins, which protects them from the cold weather. For many, this situation may seem brutal and inhumane. It raises concerns about how these practices contribute to the extinction of animals. However, no country is able to provide food and care for individuals living in such remote areas for free. As a result, people must rely on their own skills to survive and hunt. Those without boats attempt to break through the ice sheets on frozen rivers, fishing through their own efforts. If they are unsuccessful, they risk starvation. They use special cutting tools to dig beneath the ice and need significant physical strength to do so. Once they reach the water, they lower homemade nets and wait for a catch. Most of the time, they succeed and return home with their catch. In Greenland, the local diet encompasses everything that comes from the sea. To illustrate, you might encounter seal meat in people's homes or a polar bear's head in a restaurant. Interestingly, in Greenland, people do not give gold or money as wedding gifts. Instead, a polar bear head is considered a prestigious gift for those deemed worthy. Hunting a polar bear is complex and labor-intensive, and its meat is not easily accessible to most people, making it extremely expensive in restaurants. Consequently, polar bears hold more value than gold in Greenland. If you are a guest in a family's home in Greenland, you might be served whale meat. Greenlanders traditionally eat a wide variety of foods, with the exception of the human heart, as the saying goes. They typically hold a meat knife in one hand while eating, using it to separate meat from bone before swallowing. This practice is especially common among the Inuit or Eskimos. Scandinavian families living in Greenland often maintain cultural customs they inherited from Denmark. Greenland has a vast area with a small population, making it a pleasant surprise to bump into fellow residents. There are six settlements, including the capital, Nuuk, and one of these settlements, Kulusuk, has only about 300 inhabitants. The only services available to these residents are a grocery store and a church. For instance, a person with a chronic illness living in this remote area would likely face significant challenges and may not survive for long. Instead, you are surrounded by isolated wilderness and a vast sea covered in ice during the winter. Sometimes, the sun doesn't rise at all, and your days are mostly dark. On certain days, snowstorms occur, and if you find yourself outside, there is nowhere to seek shelter. Those caught in snowstorms can suffer from severe illnesses and may be unable to stand for months. The most privileged aspect of their geography is the opportunity to watch the northern lights dance as they please. As a result, the people of Greenland endure harsher conditions compared to those in the modern world. Even finding clean water is considered a great blessing. They cannot use seawater for showering or drinking, and the water pipes in homes often freeze. To address this, the state provides clean water to remote areas with its own resources, but it is likely that this water is also sourced from Denmark. For the people of Greenland, fun is defined by activities such as sledding on ice, befriending wolves, and dancing. They speak a local language called Kalaallisut, which has deep historical roots that date back thousands of years to their ancestors. In contrast, the Danish often do not discuss this language and communicate primarily on their own. Living in Greenland can be very challenging due to its harsh conditions. However, the country's strategic location suggests that it will become increasingly valuable in the future. This is the end of the video. See you in the next one. Goodbye.