29 May 2012 Last updated at 06:08 ET

Greenland profile

• Overview
• Facts
• Leaders
• Media
• Timeline

Queen: Margrethe II of Denmark

Prime minister: Kuupik Kleist

Kuupik Kleist was elected in June 2009

Mr Kleist led the left-wing pro-independence Inuit Ataqatigiit (Community of the People - IA) party to victory in the June 2009 parliamentary elections, which Prime Minister Hans Enoksen had called early in order to decide who would implement a new autonomy arrangement.

Mr Kleist announced that he planned to concentrate on tackling big social problems, such as alcoholism, domestic violence and a high suicide rate.

Born in 1958, Mr Kleist has served in various civil-service posts and taught journalism. He was appointed director of Greenland's foreign office in 1996 and sat as an IA member of the Danish parliament from 2001 to 2007, when he became party leader.