Greenland–European Union relations Greenland's fishing fleet. However, this deal was struck down by the European Court of Auditors, who felt the amount the EU was paying was too high for the quantity of fish caught. Greenland originally joined the then-European Communities with Denmark in 1973. At that time Greenland had no autonomy from Denmark, which it gained in 1979. Greenland achieved some special treatment such as restrictions on business for non-residents and fisheries. Greenland left in 1985, following a referendum in 1982 with 53% voting for withdrawal after a dispute over fishing rights. The Greenland Treaty formalized their exit. There has been some
Greenland southwest across Baffin Bay, and Iceland, east of Greenland in the Atlantic Ocean. Greenland also contains the world's largest national park, and it is the largest dependent territory by area in the world, as well as the fourth largest country subdivision in the world, after Sakha Republic in Russia, Australia's state of Western Australia, and Russia's Krasnoyarsk Krai, and the largest in North America. The average daily temperature of Nuuk, Greenland varies over the seasons from . The total area of Greenland is (including other offshore minor islands), of which the Greenland ice sheet covers (81%) and has a volume