greenland is totally covered with ice, but we often call it greenland. what is the background behind
2007-12-13 07:21:35 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Geography
Because vikings are dumb...
2007-12-13 07:44:53 · answer #1 · answered by Lee94 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Supposedly when Erik the Red (of Norway) was exiled he set out to find the land rumored to be West and he called it "Greenland" to attract people there. I've also heard that Greenland and Iceland were purposely named that way to keep people away from Iceland (because it actually is nice in the summer). I haven't been able to verify that thought.
2007-12-13 07:30:26 · answer #2 · answered by worldcitizen5 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
actually, when the Vikings started visiting and settling, the climate was very mild. It's after that when weather conditions changed, which changed everything. the growing season was fried, availability of game changed ---- the bays and harbors and other watercourses were choked with ice. The ice sheets at the arctic expanded, etc.
The climate changed from warmer to colder everywhere --- but that really hit the Vikings in Greenland hard.
2007-12-13 07:28:49 · answer #3 · answered by LWSW1954 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Vikings purposely named both Iceland (which is lush and green) and Greenland (which is covered in ice) the opposite of what they actually were to discourage other people from settling in Iceland.
2007-12-13 07:45:31 · answer #4 · answered by crazyguyintx 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When the Danes annexed Greenland and wanted to encourage settlers to move there to strengthen their territorial claim - long ago - they called it "Greenland" to make people think it would be a nice place to go. Seriously.
An example of ancient over-zealous marketing.
2007-12-13 07:25:18 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
well Iceland doesnt have Ice, it's actually part of the mid-atlantic ridge, the barrier between 2 techtonic plates, there is a lot of seismic and volcanic activity there. Maybe some map making guy a long time ago accidentally put the names backwards and nobody noticed...
2007-12-13 07:31:06 · answer #6 · answered by ŠתּἇʀʅʏȻħȁɾɭɏ44 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To attract Viking settlers.
No-one in their right mind would want to settle in a place called Iceland..!
....er
No, but really, the Vikings wanted to settle on the island and wanted to attract fellow Vikings to establish colonies.
So Greenland it was.
The Vikings being the ones who 'discovered' it.
2007-12-13 07:24:18 · answer #7 · answered by Moorglademover 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
the founders wanted people to go to Greenland and not Iceland, so they named them the opposites of what they really are
2007-12-13 17:19:26 · answer #8 · answered by crunkmyfunk5 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
erik the red discovered it about 960 AD and at that time we were in a warm phase - a mini global warming period. Records from geological sources show that 1000 years ago there was much more green there than now, perhaps in a few decades we will see it all again....
2007-12-13 08:51:57 · answer #9 · answered by Dad 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋