Scandinavia (region)

Scandinavia is a region in northern Europe linked by a common culture, history, and linguistic heritage. It is considered a subregion of North Europe.

The region of Scandinavia includes the countries of Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. Sweden and Norway form the Scandinavian Peninsula. Denmark includes the Jutland Peninsula and the Danish Islands.

When Finland, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands are included in a group with Sweden, Norway, and Denmark, they form Norden, or the North. These countries are then called Nordic countries. Sometimes, the terms Nordic and Scandinavian are used interchangeably. However, most scholars agree that the terms are not synonymous. Although there is debate about exactly which countries are included in Scandinavia, there is no debate about which countries are considered Nordic.

Scholars do not generally use geography to determine which countries belong to Scandinavia. Part of Finland is located on the Scandinavian Peninsula, and it shares borders with both Sweden and Norway. However, it is not usually considered to be part of Scandinavia because its language is not a Scandinavian language. In contrast, a sea comes between Denmark and the Scandinavian Peninsula. However, Danish, the language of Denmark, is a Scandinavian language, so Denmark is considered a part of Scandinavia.

If language and culture are the defining characteristics of Scandinavia, then some people argue that Iceland and the Faroe Islands should also be included. If culture and history, not language, are used to define the region, then it is argued that Finland should be included. Finland was part of Sweden from the mid twelfth century until 1809, but it also has a Russian heritage, when Finland was part of the Russian Empire as a Grand Duchy, from 1809 to 1917. When scholars refer to Scandinavia and want to include Finland, the term Fenno-Scandinavia is used. "Fenno-Scandinavia" is a Northern European region encompassing the Scandinavian Peninsula, Finland, and occasionally parts of Russia like Karelia and the Kola Peninsula. The name merges the Latin terms "Fennia" (Finland) and "Scandia" (Scandinavia).

Scandinavia has a culture of tolerance and respect for individual rights. The region boasts strong social welfare systems, high literacy rates, and gender equality. The standard of living is high. The people of Scandinavia are largely Lutheran and share a common language heritage. The languages of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden all originated from a common Scandinavian language, and the languages are similar enough that Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish speakers are able to communicate with each other.

Historical Perspective

Around 10,000 BCE, hunter-gatherers roamed through Scandinavia as they hunted reindeer. The Sami people are the indigenous inhabitants of northern Scandinavia, including parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia's Kola Peninsula, collectively known as Sápmi. Renowned for their traditions such as reindeer herding, fishing, and unique cultural expressions, the Sami speak several languages from the Uralic family. The Sami people used to be refered to as "Lapps," but this term is outdated and considered offensive; "Sami" is the preferred term.

The Vikings arose around the 700s CE and began exploring, colonizing, and raiding the area. Kingdoms also arose at this time, but they were unstable. Between the ninth and twelfth centuries, Scandinavia was converted to Christianity. In 1397, the kingdoms of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden were united without violence under Queen Margaret I of Denmark. The kingdoms divided again by 1442 and then reunited briefly in the early 1500s. Subsequently, in 1523, Sweden became a separate kingdom. Norway came under the rule of Denmark. By 1550, Denmark, Norway, and Iceland had all converted to Lutheranism.

In 1813, Sweden invaded Denmark, and in 1814, Denmark ceded Norway to Sweden. Norway resisted and wrote its own constitution. Sweden agreed to a union of the two countries, with the stipulation that the Norwegian throne would pass to the king of Sweden. Norway voted to become independent in 1905. Some Swedes wanted to go to war against the rebellious Norwegians. Instead, the Swedish king held a referendum, and a majority of Swedes then voted to dissolve the union between the two countries.

During World War I, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden maintained official neutrality, avoiding direct involvement in the conflict. However, this position was tested by trade restrictions from both sides. Sweden showed some favor toward Germany due to political ties with the German royal family, while public opinion within Scandinavia varied, with some support for the Allies. During World War II, Germany occupied Denmark and Norway, while Sweden remained officially neutral and avoided direct conflict, despite limited trade with Germany.

Geography and Climate

The combined land area of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden is approximately 811,569 square kilometers (313,348 square miles), with a population of about 21 million people in 2022. The region has a low population density of roughly twenty-seven people per square kilometer (70 per square mile). Sweden is the largest and most populous Scandinavian country, with over 10 million inhabitants, though Greenland, a territory of Denmark, surpasses Sweden in land area.

Scandinavia's geography varies from flat lowlands to rugged mountains. The jagged coastline has many narrow inlets called fjords, which were formed when glacier ice eroded the land. Many small islands lie off the region's coast.

The Scandinavian Mountains, also called the Kölen or Kjolen Mountains, lie along the border of Sweden and Norway on the Scandinavian Peninsula. The range has many glaciers, which are large masses of ice that move very slowly over the land.

Norway features rough, rocky mountains and valleys with fertile soil. Steep mountain slopes surround numerous fjords along its long coastline. The area faces hazards such as rock slides and avalanches. In the Norwegian Sea, the island of Jan Mayen hosts Beerenberg, an active volcano.

Sweden is mostly flat, with snow-covered mountains in the west. Ice floes can appear in the waters off the coast and are dangerous to ships. Sweden has many rivers, more than one hundred thousand lakes, and forests in the north.

Denmark is low-lying, with lakes, rivers, and forests. Flooding can be a problem in the area. Denmark's dikes, originally built by local landowners around 1000 AD to protect farmland in the Wadden Sea area, have been significantly reinforced over time. Advanced dike construction often followed major storm surges, with collaboration between the Danish government and neighboring countries like Germany. Denmark also has a hilly section that runs through the middle of the Jutland Peninsula. The country also includes more than 440 islands, including its largest, Zealand, spanning 7,031 square kilometers (2,714 square miles).

Many kinds of wildlife live in Scandinavia. The endangered Arctic fox, the mountain hare, and the tundra wolf are some of the animals that live in the higher altitudes. Forest animals include bears, elk, ermines, and squirrels. In the northern parts of Sweden, the Sami people raise reindeer. The rivers and seas are filled with fish, such as cod, mackerel, salmon, and pike. There is a large variety of birds, including plovers, partridges, and grouse.

The climate of Scandinavia varies across the region. Although Scandinavia is in the far north, the temperatures are mostly mild, especially along the coast. The warm North Atlantic Current helps to moderate the temperatures. The mountains have a colder, alpine climate above the tree line, and the northern parts of Sweden are subarctic, with long, cold winters; summers can be short and cool.

Economy

Scandinavia has a large service economy. Banking, healthcare, communications, financial services, and education are all important industries. Manufacturing is also important to the region. Automaker Volvo and furnituremaker IKEA are major Swedish companies. Other regional products include ships, electronics, paper, wood, and metals. Fisheries are important across the region. Agriculture is only a small part of Sweden and Norway's economies, but it is a larger component of Denmark's economy. Crops in the region include sugar beets, barley, and rye. Poultry, pork, and dairy products are also important products in the Danish economy.

Norway is rich in natural resources such as oil, natural gas, and minerals. Exports of natural gas and oil are especially important to its economy. Sweden has a mining industry that includes iron, zinc, and copper.

Tourism is important in the Scandinavian region. The region is famous for the natural phenomenon called the Aurora borealis, or Northern lights. Tourists also visit for the mountain climbing, skiing, and windsurfing. The white sand beaches and the amusement parks are two additional populat tourist attractions.

Norway's economy in the early twenty-first century demonstrated resilience and strength, supported by a robust labor market, substantial hydrocarbon exports, and the world's largest sovereign wealth fund. Norway faced a few challenges in 2024, such as high interest rates affecting household consumption and housing investments, but easing rates and positive wage growth were expected to help stimulate recovery. Government spending and increased business investments, particularly in the hydrocarbon sector, which further bolstered the country's economic activity. Norway’s public finances remained strong in the 2020s, with low public debt and significant surpluses driven by hydrocarbon tax revenues.

Sweden’s economy experienced continuous slow growth since the 1970s. In the twenty-first century, Sweden boasted a robust and highly competitive economy, characterized by a high gross domestric product (GDP) per capita, a diversified export base focused on high-tech industries like automotive, telecommunications, and aviation, a stable political environment, and a strong social safety net. These factors positioned Sweden among the most prosperous nations globally. Its "Nordic model" was often cited as a successful economic system with low unemployment and income inequality.

However, Denmark's economy has not experienced the same level of prosperity, as it was slow to recover from a recession that lasted from late 2010 to early 2011. Unemployment rose from 4.2 percent in January 2010 to around 170,000 people by early 2011, and remained high until May 2016. The economy saw a sharp decline in aggregate demand, weak private consumption and investment, sluggish productivity growth, and struggles for small, innovative companies to grow. Since 2011, Denmark experienced a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 2.6 percent, reflecting consistent moderate economic growth. Since the 2020s, the country has seen stronger growth, with reports indicating a growth rate of around 3 percent in 2024.

Demographics

According to the 2015 World Population Data Sheet, the population of the Scandinavian region is growing and is expected to continue to grow. The population of Sweden in mid-2015 was 9.8 million. By 2024, the population was 10.5 million. The population projection for mid-2030 is 11.4 million, and by mid-2050, the population is expected to grow to 12.4 million. The population of Norway in mid-2015 was 5.2 million. By 2024, the population was 5.5 million. The population projection for mid-2030 is 5.9 million, and by mid-2050, the population is expected to grow to 6.7 million. The population of Denmark in mid-2015 was 5.7 million. By 2024, the population was 5.9 million. The population projection for mid-2030 is 6.0 million, and by mid-2050, the population is expected to grow to 6.3 million.

The standard of living in Scandinavia is high. In Denmark, the gross national income (GNI) per capita in 2014 was $46,160; in Sweden, it was $46,710; and in Norway, it was $65,970. In comparison, the United States had a GNI of $55,860. By 2023, Denmark's GNI per capita was $79,430; in Sweden, it was $71,780; and in Norway, it was $102,460. In comparison, the GNI per capita in the United States in 2023 was $82,340.

The 2015 World Population Data Sheet also provided information about life expectancies, infant morality rates, ages, and death rates. The Scandinavian life expectancy at birth, for example, was about age eighty for males and eighty-four for females. In comparison, the life expectancy in the United States was seventy-six for males and eighty-one for females. By 2024, the life expectancy in Scandinavia was about age eighty-four for females and eighty-one for males. In comparison, the life expectancy in the United States in 2024 was about age eighty-two for females and seventy-seven for males.

In 2024, the infant mortality rate was 1.8 deaths per 1,000 live births in Norway, 2.3 deaths per 1,000 live births in Sweden, and three deaths per 1,000 live births in Denmark. In comparison, there were 5.34 deaths per 1,000 live births in the United States in 2024.

In 2024, almost 20 percent of the Scandinavian population was sixty-five or older. In comparison, around 17 percent of the US population was sixty-five or older.

The Sami are an Indigenous people of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. Norway has the highest population of Sami, with many Sami living north of the Saltfjellet mountain range on the Arctic Circle. The Sami population declined mainly because of European colonization, which caused them to lose land, face forced assimilation, and have their traditional reindeer herding disrupted by land seizures and movement restrictions. There was a significant rise in people identifying as Sami, especially in the second half of the twentieth century, driven by a cultural revival movement that opposed assimilation pressures, particularly Norway's "Norwegianization" policy. As a result, many Sami people who had not openly identified as Sami previously began to reclaim their heritage.

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