Greenland is in the headlines after U.S. President Donald Trump said oil, gas and mineral exploration on the island is set to begin. Denmark has pushed back, saying U.S. resource exploration must respect local laws. The available reports do not confirm which projects, if any, have been approved or when exploration would start.

The interest reflects Greenland’s strategic location and the attention being paid to its natural resources. The island lies between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. It is the world’s largest island and has a small land border with Canada on Hans Island.

Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, alongside Denmark proper and the Faroe Islands. Greenlanders are Danish citizens, but Greenland is not part of the European Union. Nuuk is the capital and largest city.

The headlines focus on oil, gas and minerals, but the research context provided does not give details about specific deposits, companies, permits or agreements. A statement that exploration is set to begin is not, on its own, confirmation that drilling or mining has been authorized. Denmark’s insistence on local laws points to the need to establish what approvals and arrangements apply.

Greenland also has a close economic relationship with Denmark. Danish aid averaged 5.4 billion kroner a year from 2019 to 2023, amounting to more than one-fifth of Greenland’s gross domestic product, according to the supplied background. The current coverage therefore raises questions about resource development and who has authority over it, while key details about any proposed exploration remain unconfirmed.