Greenland, Denmark and the Faeroe Islands, and the national geological survey (GEUS): 1996, a year of transition for publications

Abstract

The former Geological Survey of Greenland (Grønlands Geologiske Undersøgelse: GGU) was to have celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1996. The ministerial reorganisation and the establishment of a Ministry of Environment and Energy led directly to the merger in 1995 of GGU with its much older relative, the Geological Survey of Denmark (Danmarks Geologiske Undersøgelse: DGU). This larger institution, also with headquarters in Copenhagen, but with roots going back to the last century, had already celebrated its 100th birthday in 1988. DGU, as well as serving the sovereign country Denmark, had also a governmental mandate to serve the third country of the Kingdom of Denmark, the Faeroe Islands. As reported in last year’s Report of Activities, the fusion of these two well-known Danish institutions produced a new national geological survey with a staff of about 360, viz. the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (Ghisler, 1996). The official name of the Survey is Danmarks og Grønlands Geologiske Undersøgelse; it is known increasingly within the Survey and nationally − and we hope in time internationally − by the everyday nickname GEUS, derived from the Danish name for a geological survey i.e. Geologisk Undersøgelse.