The United States on Tuesday issued a travel warning for a country full of natural beauty and outdoor activities.
The State Department warned that Americans visiting Greenland should be more cautious due to “environmental dangers posed by extreme weather conditions and limited emergency services.”
Greenland’s advisory was classified as level two, meaning travelers should “exercise increased caution” without necessarily canceling their plans.
The advisory noted that Greenland, a North American island, has many tracts of land that are far from cities, posing dangers to those walking near its beautiful fjords or exploring vast glaciers.
“The weather can be harsh and resources to provide emergency services in areas remote from cities and large settlements, including search and rescue, are scarce,” according to the advisory. “In some areas, search and rescue efforts could take several days to reach the scene.”
In the photo: a fjord in Greenland. Fjords are long, narrow, deep inlets between high cliffs that are often formed from glaciers.
In the photo: Tasiilaq, East Greenland. The city has just under 2,000 inhabitants.
Greenland is already the least populated country in the world. About 56,000 people live on an 836,000-square-mile island.
Essentially the same number of people living on Manhattan’s Upper East Side occupy a land mass three times the size of Texas.
The State Department recommends those planning to go to Greenland purchase comprehensive travel, medical and evacuation insurance.
Traveling with a professional guide or organization like the Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators Association is also a good way to reduce risk, according to the U.S. government.
American tourists can enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) so they can be quickly located in the event of an emergency.
Although the State Department tells potential visitors to Greenland to be careful about weather conditions, the country is certainly not at the top of the list when it comes to dangers.
A hiker looks at a huge glacier near Kulusuk, Greenland
In the photo: Icebergs in Disko Bay, which is located on the western coast of Greenland.
Humpback whale spotted on glacier cruise in Greenland
The Northern Lights, also called the Northern Lights, are also visible from Greenland
The State Department’s level three advisories recommend citizens reconsider travel, while level four advisories urge people not to travel to the specified destination.
Level four advisories are generally reserved for countries that are in war zones, have high levels of terrorism, or have unstable governments.
Afghanistan, Iraq, North Korea and Russia are countries that the US government tells its citizens not to travel to.
It is unclear why the State Department suddenly issued the travel warning for Greenland, even though the country is entering its winter months.
Temperatures in northern Greenland can drop to -58 degrees Fahrenheit during especially cold winters, according to the world bank.
Greenland is the world’s largest island that is not a continent and had a record year for tourism in 2023. receiving more than 141,000 visitors.
Popular attractions include the Greenland National Museum, Prince Christian Sound, and the Nanortalik Open Air Museum.
The Northern Lights, also called the Northern Lights, are also visible from Greenland. The best time to observe the natural phenomenon is during winter, although they can be observed from August or until April.