Braving temperatures far below freezing, Greenland’s 39,000 eligible voters took part in a referendum yesterday offering a clear route to independence from distant Denmark.

Eve-of-ballot polls suggested that Greenlanders would vote overwhelmingly “aap” (“yes”) for a package of measures to expand self-government, recognise their aspirations to eventual nationhood and make them the beneficiaries of their natural resources.

The package, drawn up by Danish and Greenlandic parliamentarians, would allow Greenlanders to be treated as a separate people under international law, with the right to self-determination. It would make Greenlandic – not Danish – the official language, and give Greenland’s home-rule Government greater responsibilities from next June in a range of areas including foreign affairs, justice and immigration. Most importantly, it would offer Greenland a way to surmount the single biggest obstacle to independence – its reliance on 3.2 billion kroner (£365 million) a year in Danish subsidies – by giving it control of future revenues from oil, gas and other assets.

Experts believe that Greenland is sitting on huge deposits of hydrocarbons and valuable minerals. Exploration is becoming more feasible as offshore waters freeze less and the ice-cap, which covers four fifths of the island, melts. As those revenues begin to rise, Denmark’s subsidies will fall.

Predicting victory, Hans Enoksen, 52, the Danish Prime Minister, said that he hoped that Greenland could achieve full independence within his lifetime. “With self-governance we will establish the framework for future generations. It will be their task to handle the task of independence,” he said.

Lars-Emil Johansen, one of the two Greenlandic members of the Danish parliament, wants independence by 2021 – the 300th anniversary of Denmark’s colonisation of Greenland. “Of course we can be masters of our own destiny and fly with our own wings,” he said.

Greenland has been edging towards independence since 1979, when it won home rule. In 1985 it left the European Community to protect its fishing grounds, even though Denmark remained a member. In 2003 it was given some say over foreign and security policy. Roughly 50,000 of its 57,000 people are Inuits, and fewer than 7,000 are Danes. Almost all favour independence. Denmark says that it is up to Greenland to decide when it wants finally to break away.

The country has no national road network and three quarters of the population live in settlements accessible only by air or water. To reach the 75 polling stations Greenlanders used their feet, boats and snowmobiles.

A last-minute poll showed 61 per cent intended to vote “yes” and only 15 per cent “no”.

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