<Li> ^ Although previously under Danish monarchy for four hundred years, Greenland, the Faroe Islands, and Iceland were formally Norwegian possessions until 1814 . </Li> <Li> ^ As of 2000: 410,449 km (158,475 sq mi) ice - free; 1,755,637 km (677,855 sq mi) ice - covered . Density: 0.14 / km (0.36 / sq. mi) for ice - free areas . </Li> <P> Greenland (/ ˈɡriːnlənd /; Greenlandic: Kalaallit Nunaat, pronounced (kalaːɬit nunaːt); Danish: Grønland, pronounced (ˈɡʁɶnˌlanˀ)) is an autonomous constituent country within the Kingdom of Denmark between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago . Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe (specifically Norway and Denmark, the colonial powers, as well as the nearby island of Iceland) for more than a millennium . The majority of its residents are Inuit, whose ancestors began migrating from the Canadian mainland in the 13th century, gradually settling across the island . </P> <P> Greenland is the world's largest island (Australia, although larger, is generally considered to be a continental landmass rather than an island). Three - quarters of Greenland is covered by the only permanent ice sheet outside Antarctica . With a population of about 56,480 (2013), it is the least densely populated country in the world . The Arctic Umiaq Line ferry acts as a lifeline for western Greenland, connecting the various cities and settlements . </P>

Greenland is considered part of north america. which country claims greenland