Iceland vs Greenland

Introduction

Welcome to The Great Expedition Company Blog!

In our blog, we will cover and discuss all manner of topics, issues and things to think about when it comes to Greenland, Iceland and the polar regions (Arctic and the Antarctic). We do hope you can benefit from our expedition and travel experience in these areas and use the information found here to make choices about your future travel plans.

Iceland vs Greenland

In the ongoing debate about neighbouring destinations, Iceland vs Greenland is a popular topic. For this reason, and because we have travelled extensively in both, we wanted to break down what we think are some of the key similarities and differences between Iceland vs Greenland. This is more than a geographical exploration and comparison; it's a stark journey through contrasting (and in some cases overlapping) landscapes, cultures and experiences.

Our blog post about Iceland vs Greenland is broken down through the following headings:

Arctic Fox eating a sea urchin in the Hornstrandir Nature Reserve.

• Between the High Arctic, Arctic and Near-Arctic

• Is Iceland greener than Greenland?

• Iceland vs Greenland: Young vs Old Earth

• Iceland vs Greenland: Fire and Ice vs Polar Expanse

• Summer in Iceland vs Greenland

• Winter in Iceland vs Greenland

• A Brief Human History of Iceland vs Greenland

• Population and urban dynamics

• Getting around in Iceland vs Greenland

• Travel Costs in Iceland vs Greenland

• Climate (and climate change) in the Arctic and near-Arctic

As you weigh the various factors like geography, climate, culture, and tourism dynamics play crucial roles in how you decide where to go. We want to delve into the key elements that impact general perceptions of Iceland vs Greenland; exploring the similarities and differences of these two neighbouring countries. Here we go!

Between the High Arctic, Arctic and Near-Arctic

The Arctic Circle is a key demarcation line in our consideration of Iceland vs Greenland. The lowest extent of the Arctic Circle: 66.5ºN

Greenland is an Arctic nation. Iceland is a near-Arctic nation.

One of the most important things to understand about Greenland vs Iceland is that 99.9% of Iceland is not, we repeat, NOT in the Arctic Circle. The only part of Iceland which directly in the Arctic Circle is some proportion of the island of Grímsey which lies about 3 hours at sea north of the Icleandic mainland. The rest of Iceland lies south of the Arctic Circle. Iceland ranges from 63ºN up to 66.56ºN, so there is 0.06º of Icelandic landmass in the Arctic.

Greenland on the other hand, lies predominantly in the Arctic Circle. One of the most southern parts of Greenland lies at 59ºN (4 degrees below Iceland) and the most northerly parts stretch all the way up to 83ºN (a whole 16ºN further north than Iceland).

Is Iceland greener than Greenland?

The received wisdom about Iceland vs Greenland is that the true nature of each country is almost precisely the inverse: Iceland feels much greener and conversely, that Greenland is much icier than its name would suggest, although there are plenty of green parts in Greenland and plenty of icy parts in Iceland.

Mountain ridge of the Bear Islands of Northeast Greenland. Note some greenery.

When trying to understand whether Iceland is greener than Greenland in the Iceland vs Greenland debate, it’s helpful to think about percentages. As a proportion of its landmass, Greenland is 80% ice (thanks to the Greenland ice cap), but given that Greenland is much larger than Iceland, the green parts of Green still equate to a greater land area than the green parts of Iceland.

Glacier front in Iceland. There are plenty of similar scenes in Greenland.

Due to its volcanically and tectonically active landscape, a great percentage of Iceland is covered in a desert of a very different kind: tephra (volcanic ash) plains cover great areas of the interior of the Icelandic Highlands. For 10 months out of the year, these are covered in snow which melt away in the summer months, and do not accumulate to form permanent ice. The are several glaciers in the Icelandic Highlands which feed the main glacial rivers which run out to the sea.

In short, in the Iceland vs Greenland debate, Greenland is greener than Iceland, but proportionally speaking, Iceland is much greener than Greenland.

Young Earth vs Old Earth

The Grundtvigskirken Mountain, 1977m/6486 ft of granite.

One of the biggest different between Iceland vs Greenland is the difference in age: Iceland is very young indeed. The oldest region of Iceland, the Westfjords, is at the every oldest 16 million years old. The youngest parts of Iceland are a few weeks old at best, since the most recent eruption in Iceland occurred on January 14th 2024. Compared to Greenland, that is practically 10 seconds ago, in geological terms. Greenland exhibits an astonishing level of geological diversity, with the oldest parts dating back to the billions of years but with no active volcanoes, the newest parts of Greenland are at the youngest millions of years old.

Iceland vs Greenland: Fire and Ice vs Polar Expanse

Iceland, with its volcanic terrain and smaller glaciers offers a landscape that's both rugged, barren, desolate and breathtaking. Greenland shares many of these characteristics, but on another scale entirely. Greenland does boast the largest ice sheet in the Northern Hemisphere which dominates it’s topography, covering 96% of the country. Iceland’s largest ice cap, Vatnajökull, covers a mere 10% of the country, but it is the largest glacier in Europe.

The first volcanic eruption at Fagradalsfjall, Iceland, 2021.

Iceland's milder climate, influenced by the Gulf Stream, creates a more hospitable environment compared to Greenland's true Arctic conditions.

You can think about Iceland vs Greenland in these terms: Iceland is a fantastic stepping stone to more extreme temperatures and temperature fluctuations. If you have experienced Iceland are ready for something more extreme, Greenland may very well be for you.

That being said, you could easily find yourself in a green valley in either Iceland or Greenland, in the right parts; this would be equally true for a white out on a glacier: you can experience both, in both places. Although there are many more green valleys in Iceland and many more glacial expanse in Greenland.

Ice in Iceland vs Greenland

One of the key differences between Iceland vs Greenland is that although Iceland is home to colossal outlet tongues and the largest ice cap in Europe, the ice in Greenland is occurring on another scale entirely. It is difficult to find the words for how amazing the ice in Greenland is. It’s big. It’s enormous and towers over you like nothing else you have experienced. The ice in Greenland is larger than buildings, its larger than city blocks sometimes, and it is not just the size that is awe-inspiring about the ice in Greenland: it is the shape and the complexity of the ice itself. The ice in Greenland can take many fantastic forms and shapes which exist dear outside of your imagination, making incredible towers, arches and holes that feel like vortexs. It seems like the ice in Greenland deserves its own post. That is definitely on the to-do list.

Summer in Iceland vs Greenland

Iceland and Greenland both have very short summer seasons, but Greenland’s landmass stretches much further north and much further south, deep into the Arctic, so it gets much colder and much darker. Greenland does not benefit form the Gulf Stream in the same way that Iceland does, and so the temperatures in winter drop to -20/-30 Celcius and stay that way for many months. These long, cold and icy winters make large parts of Greenland much less habitable than Iceland. Still, Greenland has been inhabited for thousands of years longer than Iceland.

Askja, a caldera in the central Highlands of Iceland.

Winter in Iceland vs Greenland

Both Iceland and Greenland have long, cold and dark winters, but due to not benefiting from the Gulf Stream, the much larger size and the majority of the country being within the Arctic Circle, winters in Greenland are much longer, colder and in many cases darker than they are in Iceland.

Above the Arctic Circle, where most of Greenland lies, the sun never rises in winter, and instead there is a faint glow of light over the horizon from about November through to February when the sun finally returns. the most Arctic part so Greenland experience pitch darkness for months on end before the sun returns. The return the sun is usually celebrated as an even unto itself, and makes the beginning of the transition out of winter.

Fjaðrárgljúfur in South Iceland in winter.

In Iceland, the sun rises and sets above the horizon every single day. That being said, it does of course get much darker in winter than in summer. Where on the winter solstice there are 3 hrs and 50 mins approximately of direct sunlight and on the summer solstice there will be about 21 hours of direct sunlight, as long as its not cloudy!

Wildlife in Iceland vs Greenland

The types and variety of wildlife that you may when you visit a new country is always an interesting question, and there are some pretty big differences between what you can see between Greenland and Iceland.

Fauna in Iceland

In Iceland there is absolutely no terrestrial megafauna (big animals), the biggest animals you can see on land are resting seals when they are not in the water. The Arctic Fox is the largest terrestrial land mammal in Iceland. There is also a population of non-native reindeer living in the east of Iceland (from Norway).

Muskox found on the sides of the fjords in Greenland.

A polar bear relaxing on an Iceberg

Puffins on a cliff side in Iceland

Fauna in Greenland

Greenland is a whole other matter entirely. Greenland has megafauna such as polar bears and muskox and species of seal that are not commonly seen in Iceland such as the hooded seal and bearded seal, as well as arctic hare, ermine and many of the migratory birds that also come to Iceland.

About the Puffins in Iceland vs Greenland

Are there puffins in Greenland? Yes, but only about 50,000 pairs, which sounds like a lot but it really isn’t at all. Iceland the other hand has about 20% of the global population of puffins and houses the world’s single largest puffins colony, to be found on the southern archipelago of the Westman Islands. So, fi you’re looking for puffins, the choice is pretty clear

Whales in Iceland vs Greenland

Humpback whale in Northeast Greenland

Both Iceland and Greenland enjoy large populations of migratory whales that come to the Arctic and near-Arctic in summer. These species of whale include Humpback Whale, Minke Whale, Fin Whale and Blue Whale. However, Greenland has narwhals and beluga whales which do not (or at least only rarely) come to Iceland.

A Brief Human History of Iceland vs Greenland

When comparing Iceland vs Greenland in terms of their human settlement, Iceland was one of the last places on earth to be inhabited, in 874 AD. Iceland’s rich cultural tapestry is rooted in Viking history and medieval sagas, creating a unique identity with a clear and discernible heritage. Greenland has been inhabited by Inuit populations for thousands of years before Iceland, with a period of norse settlement in between before Danish colonisation in the 18th Century. The first human culture in Greenland was the Independence I culture, which the best current records show moved to Greenland in 2400 BC. There have been several other waves of migration in Greenland, as well as an overlap with the Norse which occurred shortly after the norse settlement of Iceland, led by Erik the Red. The norse settlement of Greenland was abandoned between 1300 and 1500 AD. The norse settlement of Iceland, on the other hand, was not abandoned and continues to this day, despite a considerable amount of hardship and struggle.

Population and Density: Greenland

Population of Greenland (2023):

• 56,653 (about 15% of Iceland’s population)

• Population density Greenland:

  • 0.1 sq mi / 0.14 Km² (0.1% of Iceland)

• Landmass of Greenland:

  • 836,330 square miles / 2.166 million km²

Population and Density: Iceland

• Population of Iceland (2023):

  • 372,520

• Population density Iceland:

  • 10 people/mi² / 4/Km²

• Landmass of Iceland:

  • 39,817 sq mi / 103,000 km²

Colourful houses of Ittoqqortoormiit, Northeast Greenland.

Greenland is the world’s most sparsely population country. Iceland has a very small population as well; although its density is very low, it is higher then Greenland’s population density.

Both Iceland and Greenland have tranquil settlements scattered across its vast, barren wilderness. As soon as you’ve left capital area of Reykjavik, which contains 2/3 of the population, things get very quiet and slow indeed. The tradeoff between city buzz and serene isolation shapes your experience. Choosing between the busier Reykjavik and the solitude of Greenland's remote settlements becomes a pivotal decision. Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, has plenty to do and and plenty going for it, but it is quite a bit smaller than Reykjavik.

Getting around in Iceland vs Greenland

Iceland is easy to get to and get around in, mostly because there are roads everywhere. You can rent a car and drive around on your own,.

Travelling by Zodiac in iceberg-filled waters

Travelling by Land Rover through the Highlands of Iceland

Conversely, Greenland is not easy to get to or get around in. This is easy to understand in terms of the number of of different countries from which you can get a flight to either. For Iceland, there are direct flight to all other Nordic countries, most European countries as well as USA, Canada. For Greenland, there are only regular, year-end flight connections to Iceland and Denmark.

Greenland has no roads between towns, only within towns. That means that as soon as you want to leave a town in Greenland, your options are very different to what they would be otherwise. You transportation options in Greenland are:

• Plane

• Helicopter

• Boat

• Dog sled (winter)

• Snowmobile (winter)

Travel Costs in Iceland vs Greenland

A logical follow-on point from the more limited modes of transportation in Greenland would be consideration of the costs of Iceland vs Greenland. In short, Greenland is much more expensive to travel in, because you pretty much cannot, except for walking around the different towns, go about at your own leisure. You will invariably need someone else’s dog sled, helicopter, snowmobile, or boat. Of course, it’s an incredible experience to try any the above methods of transportation in Greenland, and that is definitely all part of the fun.

In Iceland, if you’re willing to drive you can rent a car and use the network of roads, although that becomes a bit more dicy in winter with ice and snow on the road as well as less visibility. If you’re not willing to drive there are plenty of small and larger group tours that are run by bus, but then of course the major downside is that you’re not travelling at your own leisure.

Climate (and Climate Change) in Iceland vs Greenland

Beautiful Iceberg found in Northeast Greenland. They come in all shapes and sizes.

A really big difference between Iceland vs Greenland is that Iceland is much wetter: it rains much more often in Iceland than it does in Greenland.

Iceland also has a more stable average temperature, with fewer deviations, meaning that summers are cooler but winters are warmer. There can be nice warm, sunny days in summer in Greenland and then brutally, bitterly cold for months on end in winter. Greenland shows greater variations in temperature than Iceland.

When discussing climate change effects, researchers often compare the melting rates of glaciers in Iceland and Greenland. One crucial similarity at the present Time is that the glaciers and glacial outlet tongues are receding rapidly, and the rate at which they recede has been found to be increasing.

The net loss in volume of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GIS) has doubled from 90 km3 (22 cu mi) per year in 1996 to 220 km3 (53 cu mi) per year since 2005. For Iceland, by 2000 all monitored non-surge type glaciers were found to be retreating.

Concluding Iceland vs Greenland

By now, we have hopefully shown you that there are plenty of things to consider when thinking about Iceland vs Greenland. Ultimately, we think that you will have to go to both and decide for yourself. It is not at all the case than it is better to visit Iceland or that it is better to visit Greenland. Each have their own qualities, feelings, attributes, landscapes and populations. You will encounter wondrous things in both Iceland and Greenland, but Iceland is a great introduction to more extreme climates and Greenland feels a lot like the next step, with its colossal mountains that shoot straight out of the sea, Icebergs the size of city blocks and a wilderness that is truly vast and uninhabited.

Great Expeditions in the Arctic

The Great Expedition Company provides inspired sailing expeditions in the Arctic, which allow you to reach the most remote parts of the Arctic. The Great Expedition Company also provides extensive pre-departure material about all of our destination so that that can know more about where you’re going before you go head there. This will help you to get the most of you your expedition experience.

The Great Expedition Company creates inspired sailing expeditions of 12 guests maximum. Always on sailboats. Always focused on fostering genuine human connection so that you go home with a new group of lifelong friends. You can see our Greenland expedition and Svalbard expedition destinations below.

Schooner Opal in Northeast Greenland

S/V Linden in Svalbard