Short answers, pulled from the story.
Erik the Red named Greenland in 986 to attract settlers by giving the land a favorable name. The Icelandic sagas record his reasoning that people would be more attracted to settle there if the place had a positive designation.
Home rule came into effect on the 1st of May 1979 following a referendum held on the 17th of January 1979. This arrangement grants limited autonomy with its own legislature controlling internal policies while Denmark retains control over external affairs.
The three Norse settlements disappeared in the late 15th century after thriving for centuries. Archaeological excavations at Herjolfsnes revealed human bones indicating malnutrition among the population caused by soil erosion from farming practices.
Since 2002, the mass of Greenland's ice sheet has declined at an average rate of 266 billion metric tons per year. Massive melting events occurred in 2012, 2019, and 2021 when practically the entire surface melted with no accumulation taking place.
Greenland holds strategic importance due to its position between Eurasia, North America, and the Arctic zone. The island hosts U.S. military bases including Thule Air Base which was greatly expanded between 1951 and 1953 as part of NATO defense strategy.