This map, published by the Turkish Anadolu Agency in 2026, shows the geopolitical importance of Greenland.
The central map sets out maritime and land control in the Arctic region, with five countries in privileged positions: Denmark (yellow), Canada (green), the United States (blue), Russia (pink) and Norway (purple). Of these, the United States has the most limited control, along with Norway.
While the central map establishes Greenland's strategic position as central to US interest in the island, the map on the upper left also emphasises Greenland's critical minerals: zinc (dark blue), graphite (green), copper (purple), nickel (yellow) and rare earths (light blue). In addition, the entire region has significant reserves of uranium, oil and gas, but all under an ice sheet with an average thickness of one and a half kilometres.
The US maintained a considerable military presence in Greenland after the end of World War II, with as many as 50 military bases, although since 2004 this presence has been limited to the Pituffik (also known as Thule) space base in North Greenland. Moreover, the Igaliku agreement, signed the same year, obliges the US to negotiate any increase in its military presence beyond this base.
All this, together with existing tensions between the US, Russia and China, explains the growing US interest in Greenland.
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