Although the Treaty of Kiel officially recognized Greenland as a part of Norway handed over to Sweden in 1814, this was never acted upon and Greenland remained under Danish rule.

In 1940, when Denmark was occupied by Nazi Germany, Greenland’s connection with Denmark was severed. In 1941 the United States occupied Greenland, along with Iceland, in order to prevent German invasion, as neither Iceland nor Greenland have standing armies. This occupation lasted until 1945. Home rule was granted in 1979, though Greenland remains a part of the Kingdom of Denmark.