Languages spoken in Greenland
North America · Capital: Nuuk · Population 56,583
The official language of Greenland is Kalaallisut. An estimated 89% of the population speaks it as a first or additional language, or roughly 50,359 people. The only other recorded language is Danish, at 80% of the population. In total, two languages are recorded in Greenland, and their shares add up to 169% of the population, which implies the average resident speaks about 1.7 of them.
What languages are spoken in Greenland?
| Language | Share of population | Status | Estimated speakers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kalaallisut | 89% | Official | 50,359 |
| DanishIndo-European | 80% | Spoken | 45,266 |
Percentages are the share of the population that speaks each language, including as a second language, so they add up to well over 100% in multilingual countries. Speaker counts are estimates derived from the percentage and the country's population, not counted figures.
What is the official language of Greenland?
The official language of Greenland is Kalaallisut. Kalaallisut is spoken by an estimated 89% of the population, or roughly 50,359 people, counting both first-language and additional speakers.
Official status comes from Unicode CLDR. It distinguishes languages that are official nationwide, those used as de facto official without being named in law, and those official only in particular regions or territories.
How many people speak Kalaallisut in Greenland?
An estimated 89% of Greenland's 56,583 people speak Kalaallisut, which works out at roughly 50,359 speakers. That figure is derived from the population and the reported share, and it counts second-language speakers, so it is an estimate rather than a census count.
Key facts about Greenland
- Capital
- Nuuk
- Population
- 56,583
- Continent
- North America
- Area
- 2,166,086 km²
- Currency
- DKK
- Languages recorded
- 2
- Land borders
- None
- ISO codes
- GL / GRL / 304
Explore more
Language shares, population, and official status: Unicode CLDR. Capital, area, borders, and currency: mledoze/countries (ODbL 1.0). Flag image: flagcdn.com. Speaker counts are estimates derived from population and reported share.