Why Greenland's Importance to the World is Skyrocketing Right Now

Greenland is the world's largest island, covered in an ice sheet that's more than a mile thick on average.

Greenland's identity and history is very much intertwined with Denmark , a country about 1500 miles away.

Despite this formal relationship, Greenland maintains a significant degree of A autonomy.

The island was granted home rule in 1979 , allowing its government control over many domestic affairs.

Greenland 's strategic location in the Arctic and abundant natural resources have long made it a focal point of geopolitical interest for the US .

The melting of Greenland 's ice sheet will make access to these valuable deposits more feasible.

Greenland 's vast mineral reserves include rare earth elements, copper, uranium, zinc, lead, gold, diamonds and iron ore.

As the Arctic becomes increasingly accessible, Greenland will find itself at the center of a global competition for resources.

Despite the $5 trillion or more that's hidden under the ice, it's almost safer for it to remain hidden.

The wealth beneath Greenland 's surface holds the promise of transforming the island's economy.