Greenland was originally inhabited by native aboriginals since 2500 BC, and it wasn't until around 900 A.D. when Norse and Danish settlements were established. However, due to soil erosion resulting from the Norsemen's destruction of natural vegetation in the course of farming made many Norsemen malnourished. Along with famine, increasing conflicts with the Inuit tribes meant many Norse settlements were abandoned. The only Danish settlements on Greenland had a very loose relationship with Denmark, leading even more settlements to be terminated. It wasn't until the late 1500's to early 1600's, the colonization of the new world, where major powers such as France, Portugal, Spain and Great Britain started colonizing the land. Greenland was fully colonized by the end of the 19th century.