The Nordic countries make up a region in Northern Europe called the Nordic region, consisting of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and their associated territories which include the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland. Northern Europe is a term for the northern part of Europe. The United Nations defines Northern Europe as (Finland The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe Finland, officially the Republic of Finland ( is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. Iceland, officially the Republic of Iceland ( ( Ísland or Lýðveldið Ísland ( Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. The Faroe Islands or Faeroe Islands or simply Faroe(s or Faeroes (Føroyar meaning " Sheep Islands" Færøerne Old Norse Greenland (Kalaallit Nunaat meaning "Land of the Greenlanders" Grønland is a self-governing Danish Province located between the In common English usage, Scandinavia is sometimes used as a synonym for the Nordic countries. Terminology and usage As a cultural term "Scandinavia" has no official definition and is subject to usage by those who identify with the culture in question as well ^[1]

The region's five nation-states and three autonomous regions share much common history as well as common traits in their respective societies, such as political systems and the Nordic model. For the online game see Jennifer Government NationStates. The nation-state is a certain form of State that derives its legitimacy The Nordic Council and the Nordic Council of Ministers is an intergovernmental forum for co-operation between the Nordic countries. A society is a Population of Humans characterized by patterns of relationships between individuals that share a distinctive Culture and Institutions The Nordic model refers to the economic and Social models of the Nordic countries ( Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Norway) Politically, Nordic countries do not form a separate entity, but they co-operate in the Nordic Council. The Nordic Council and the Nordic Council of Ministers is an intergovernmental forum for co-operation between the Nordic countries. Linguistically, the area is heterogeneous, with three unrelated language groups, the North Germanic branch of Indo-European languages and the Baltic-Finnic and Sami branches of Uralic languages as well as the Eskimo-Aleut language of Kalaallisut spoken in Greenland. The North Germanic languages or Scandinavian languages make up one of the three branches of the Germanic languages, a sub-family of the Indo-European languages The Baltic-Finnic languages, spoken around the Baltic Sea by about 7 million people are a branch of Finnic languages belonging to the Finno-Ugric group Sami or Saami is a general name for a group of Finnic languages spoken by the Sami people in parts of northern Finland, Norway The Uralic languages (jʊˈrælɨk constitute a language family of 39 Languages spoken by approximately 20 million people Eskimo-Aleut is a Language family native to Greenland, the Canadian Arctic, Alaska, and parts of Siberia. Greenland (Kalaallit Nunaat meaning "Land of the Greenlanders" Grønland is a self-governing Danish Province located between the The Nordic countries have a combined population of approximately 25 million spread over a land area of 3. 5 million km² (Greenland accounts for 60% of the total area).

Recently, Estonia has also projected itself as a Nordic country, although it is widely considered to be a Baltic state. Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia ( Eesti or Eesti Vabariik) is a Country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region The Baltic states (Balti riigid Baltijas valstis Baltijos valstybės or Baltic countries are three countries in Northern Europe, all members of the Estonia has close linguistic, ethnic and cultural ties with Finland, some cultural ties with Sweden and Denmark, and most of its investment and trade is with the Nordic countries.

Contents 1 Etymology and terminology 2 History 2.1 Chronology of the Nordic countries 3 Nordic Passport Union 4 Political dimension and divisions 5 Flags and symbols 5.1 Flags 6 Population 7 Areas with close relations to the Nordic countries 7.1 Shetland and Orkney 7.2 Estonia 7.3 Others 8 See also 9 References 10 External links

Etymology and terminology

The term 'Nordic Countries' is derived from the French term Pays Nordiques as an equivalent of the local terms Norden (Scandinavian languages), Pohjola / Pohjoismaat (Finnish language), Norðurlönd (Icelandic) and Norðurlond (Faroese) with the meaning of "The North(ern lands)". Etymology is the study of the History of Words &mdash when they entered a language from what source and how their form and meaning have changed over time French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people The North Germanic languages or Scandinavian languages make up one of the three branches of the Germanic languages, a sub-family of the Indo-European languages Pohjola or Pohja is a location in Finnish mythology and is usually translated as Northland in English Finnish ( or suomen kieli) is the language spoken by the majority of the population in Finland (92% As of 2006) and by ethnic Finns outside Icelandic ( is a North Germanic language, the language of Iceland. Faroese ( føroyskt ˈføːɹɪst or) often also spelled Faeroese (cf

In English usage, the term Scandinavia is sometimes used — though not consistently — as a synonym for the Nordic countries. From the 1850s, Scandinavia came to include, politically and culturally, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland. Political geography is the field of Human geography that is concerned with the study of both the spatially uneven outcomes of Political processes and the ways in which Cultural geography is a sub-field within Human geography. Cultural geography is the study of cultural products and norms and their variation across and relations to spaces and Geographically, the Scandinavian Peninsula includes mainland Sweden and mainland Norway, and also a part of Finland, while the Jutland Peninsula includes mainland Denmark and a small part of Germany. Physical geography (also known as geosystems or physiography) is one of the three major subfields of Geography. The Scandinavian Peninsula is a geographic region in northern Europe, consisting principally of the Mainland territories of Norway and Sweden This article is about the region of Denmark. For the World War I naval battle see Battle of Jutland. Denmark proper has not included any territory on the Scandinavian Peninsula since 1658). The Treaty of Roskilde was signed on February 26, 1658 in the Danish city of Roskilde. The Faroe Islands and Iceland are "Scandinavian" in the sense that they were settled by Scandinavians and speak Scandinavian languages, but geographically they are not part of Scandinavia. The Faroe Islands or Faeroe Islands or simply Faroe(s or Faeroes (Føroyar meaning " Sheep Islands" Færøerne Old Norse Iceland, officially the Republic of Iceland ( ( Ísland or Lýðveldið Ísland ( Finland was once part of Sweden, it has been significantly influenced by Swedish culture and part of it is geographically part of Scandinavia whereas the Finnish language is not related to the Scandinavian languages. Enontekiö ( Northern Sami: Eanodat, Swedish: Enontekis) is a municipality in the Finnish part of Lapland with Greenland was settled by the Norse, and is currently part of the Danish realm, with the Danish language spoken by nearly all inhabitants, but geographically it is part of North America. Greenland (Kalaallit Nunaat meaning "Land of the Greenlanders" Grønland is a self-governing Danish Province located between the

In geology, the term for the land area which lies above sea level on the Baltic shield (also known as the Fennoscandian Shield) is Fennoscandia (from the Latin toponyms Fennia and Scania). Geology (from Greek γη gê, "earth" and λόγος Logos, "speech" lit The Baltic Shield (sometimes referred to as the Fennoscandian Shield) is located in Fennoscandia ( Norway, Sweden and Finland) northwest The Baltic Shield (sometimes referred to as the Fennoscandian Shield) is located in Fennoscandia ( Norway, Sweden and Finland) northwest Fennoscandia and Fenno-Scandinavia are geographic and geological terms used to describe the Scandinavian Peninsula, the Kola Peninsula, Karelia Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Scania ( in Swedish and Danish) is a geographical region on the southernmost tip of the Scandinavian peninsula, a traditional province (

Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines "Nordic" as an adjective dated to 1898 with the meaning "of or relating to the Germanic peoples of northern Europe and especially of Scandinavia" or "of or relating to a group or physical type of the Caucasian race characterized by tall stature, long head, light skin and hair, and blue eyes". The Germanic peoples are a historical group of Indo-European -speaking peoples originating in Northern Europe and identified by their use of the Germanic Northern Europe is a term for the northern part of Europe. The United Nations defines Northern Europe as (Finland ^[2] Thus, in the light of linguistic-based race theories, Germany would be a Nordic country instead of Finland. Linguistics is the scientific study of Language, encompassing a number of sub-fields The historical definition of race was an immutable and distinct type or Species, sharing distinct racial characteristics such as constitution temperament Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Before the 19th century and romantic nationalism, the term Nordic may have been used more as a synonym for Northern to mean Northern Europe, including European Russia, the Baltic countries (at that time Lithuania, Livonia and Courland) and occasionally the British Isles and other lands on the shores of the Baltic and North Seas. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar Romantic nationalism (also National Romanticism, organic nationalism, identity nationalism) is the form of Nationalism in which the state derives Northern Europe is a term for the northern part of Europe. The United Nations defines Northern Europe as (Finland Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending The Baltic states (Balti riigid Baltijas valstis Baltijos valstybės or Baltic countries are three countries in Northern Europe, all members of the Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania (Lietuvos Respublika is a Country in Eastern often referred to as Northern Europe or in the Livonia (Līvõmō Latvian and Livonija Estonian: Liivimaa; Finnish: Liivinmaa; German and Swedish: Livland Courland (Kurzeme Kurland Latin: Curonia / Couronia; Kuršas Kuramaa Kurlandia Курляндия Курляндія Kuurinmaa is one of the historical The British Isles (Irish variously Na hOileáin Bhriotanacha, Oileáin Iarthair Eorpa, Éire agus an Bhreatain Mhór; Ellanyn Goaldagh Eileanan The Baltic Sea is a Brackish inland sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N Latitude and from 20°E to 26°E Longitude. The North Sea is a marginal, Epeiric sea of the Atlantic Ocean on the European Continental shelf.

History

See also: History of Finland, History of Iceland, and History of Scandinavia

The Nordic countries are characterised by similar structures of their societies and cultural traits. This article is about the history of Iceland and the areas comprising modern day Iceland. The history of Scandinavia is the history of the Nordic countries — Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland. This results not only from similar environmental realities and thus traditional livelihoods but also from a shared history.

During the Dark Ages, what are now Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Iceland shared a similar cultural, linguistic (Old Norse) and religious (Norse mythology) environment. This article is about the phrase "Dark Age(s" as a characterization of the Early Middle Ages in Western Europe Culture (from the Latin cultura stemming from colere, meaning "to cultivate" generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic A language is a dynamic set of visual auditory or tactile Symbols of Communication and the elements used to manipulate them Old Norse is the North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age A religion is a set of Tenets and practices often centered upon specific Supernatural and moral claims about Reality, the Cosmos Norse mythology comprises the indigenous pre-Christian religion, beliefs and Legends of the Scandinavian peoples including those who settled on Iceland From ca. the 12th century onwards what is now Finland (linguistically Baltic-Finnic and broader Finno-Ugric) started sharing the common developments as it was increasingly integrated into the kingdom of Sweden. The Baltic-Finnic languages, spoken around the Baltic Sea by about 7 million people are a branch of Finnic languages belonging to the Finno-Ugric group Finno-Ugric (ˌfɪnoʊˈjuːgɹɪk is a grouping of languages in the Uralic language family comprising Finnish, Estonian, Hungarian and As another example of a deeply rooted unifying past could be taken the indigenous Sami lifestyle (linguistically Finno-Ugric) across what is now northern Norway, Sweden and Finland (and beyond). Indeed, all Nordic countries have minority groups deriving or claiming heritage of a population residing within another Nordic state.

After being Christianised around the year 1000, the process of local unification established Denmark, Norway and Sweden as separate kingdoms. A monarchy is a Form of government in which supreme power is actually or nominally lodged in an individual who is the Head of state, often for life or Finland became part of Sweden in the mid 1200s, whereas Iceland, the Faroe Islands, the Shetland Islands, Orkney, Greenland and large parts of Scotland and Ireland belonged to Norway. Shetland (formerly spelled Zetland, from etland; Old Norse non Hjaltland; Sealtainn is an Archipelago off the northeast coast of Orkney (also known as the Orkney Islands or incorrectly the Orkneys) is an Archipelago in northern Scotland, situated 10 miles (16 km north The history of Greenland, the world's largest island is the history of life under extreme Arctic conditions an Ice cap covers about 95 percent of the island Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world All Nordic countries followed the Protestant Reformation of the Western church during the 16th century and adopted Lutheran state churches - still having a large membership count, although state church status varies. Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther Finland also has a much smaller Orthodox state church whose members mainly come from the areas that were outside the Swedish realm when Christianity was introduced. The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world

In the 14th century, Denmark, Norway (with Iceland) and Sweden (with Finland) were united under one regent, in the Kalmar Union. A regent, from the Latin regens "who reigns" is a person selected to act as Head of state (ruling or not because the ruler is a minor The Kalmar Union ( Danish, Norwegian and Swedish: Kalmarunionen) is a historiographical term meaning a series of Personal Denmark quickly gained the upper hand, but in the early 16th century Sweden reestablished itself as a separate kingdom. Denmark's domination over Norway lasted until 1814 when the king was forced to cede Norway to the king of Sweden. Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands remained Danish.

After establishing itself as one of the Great powers in Europe during the 17th century Sweden ultimately lost its foreign Dominions one by one. A great power is a Nation or State that has the ability to exert its influence on a global scale The Dominions of Sweden or Svenska besittningar were territories that historically came under control of the Swedish Crown, but never became fully integrated This process culminated in the loss of Finland to Russia in 1809 which became an autonomous Grand Duchy under the Russian tsar. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending The Grand Duchy of Finland (Magnus Ducatus Finlandiæ Великое княжество Финляндское ' Velikoe knjažestvo finljandskoe) was the Predecessor Tsar csar and tzar redirect here For other uses see Tsar (disambiguation.

The 19th century saw a personal union between Sweden and Norway which was dissolved in 1905 due to growing dissatisfaction from the Norwegian part. At the same time Scandinavism emerged in Scandinavia. Scandinavism (also called Pan-Scandinavianism) and Nordism are literary and political movements that support various degrees of cooperation between the Scandinavian This movement strove to unite the three Scandinavian countries into one kingdom without much success.

During World War I and in the midst of the Russian revolution of 1917, Finland emerged for the first time as an independent nation and the perspective of a Nordic community replaced the idea of a united Scandinavia alone. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All See also Russian Revolution (1905 The Russian Revolution of 1916 refers to a series of popular revolutions in Russia, and the events surrounding them During World War II in 1944, Iceland gained its independence from Denmark. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The member states of the Nordic council (founded in 1952) had thus emerged.

The Nordic countries share similar traits in the policies implemented under the postwar period, especially in the socioeconomic area. All Nordic countries have large tax-funded public welfare sectors and extensive socialist legislation. This article refers specifically to the Welfare state of the United Kingdom. In most cases, this is due to the political ambitions of the many Social Democrat governments that came to power during the interwar period in each of the Nordic countries. Social democracy is a Political ideology of the left and centre-left

Chronology of the Nordic countries

Century	Nordic Political Entities
21st	Denmark (EU)	Faroes (Denmark)	Iceland	Norway	Sweden (EU)	Finland (EU)
20th	Denmark				Sweden	Finland
19th	Denmark			Sweden and Norway (personal union)		Russia (GD of Finland)
18th	Denmark-Norway (personal union)				Sweden (or Sweden-Finland)
17th
16th
15th	Kalmar Union
14th	Denmark	Norway			Sweden
13th
12th		Faroes	Icelandic CW	Norway
Nordic Peoples	Danes	Faroese	Icelanders	Norwegians	Swedes	Finns

Nordic Passport Union

The Nordic Passport Union, created in 1954, and implemented on May 1, 1958, allows citizens of the Nordic countries: Denmark (Faroe Islands included since January 1, 1966, Greenland not included), Sweden, Norway (Svalbard, Jan Mayen, Bouvet Island and Queen Maud's Land not included), Finland and Iceland (since September 24, 1965) to cross approved border districts without carrying and having their passport checked. Year 1954 ( MCMLIV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1954 Gregorian calendar) Events 305 - Diocletian and Maximian retire from the office of Roman Emperor. Year 1958 ( MCMLVIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe The Faroe Islands or Faeroe Islands or simply Faroe(s or Faeroes (Føroyar meaning " Sheep Islands" Færøerne Old Norse New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Year 1966 ( MCMLXVI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. Greenland (Kalaallit Nunaat meaning "Land of the Greenlanders" Grønland is a self-governing Danish Province located between the "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional Svalbard is an Archipelago in the Arctic Ocean north of mainland Europe, about midway between Norway and the North Pole. Jan Mayen Island is a 55 km (34 miles long (southwest-northeast and 373 km² (144  mi²) in area Arctic Volcanic island in the Bouvet Island (Bouvetøya also historically known as Liverpool Island or Lindsay Island) is an uninhabited Sub-antarctic volcanic Island Queen Maud Land is an English translation of Dronning Maud Land, the official name in use by Norwegian authorities and British Antarctic Survey on the part of Finland, officially the Republic of Finland ( is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. Iceland, officially the Republic of Iceland ( ( Ísland or Lýðveldið Ísland ( Events 622 - Prophet Muhammad completes his hegira from Mecca to Medina. Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. A passport is a document issued by a national government which certifies for the purpose of international travel the identity and nationality of its holder Other citizens can also travel between the Nordic countries' borders without having their passport checked, but still have to carry a passport or another kind of approved travel identification papers.

Since 1996, these countries have joined the larger EU directive Schengen Agreement area, comprising 30 countries in Europe. Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) The term Schengen Agreement is used for two agreements concluded among European states in 1985 and 1990 which deal with the abolition of systematic Border controls Border checkpoints have been removed within the Schengen zone and only a national ID card is required. It has been suggested to create a new article named Checkpoint (security and that this article should be a sub-article to the new article An identity document, also called a piece of identification ( ID) is a document used to verify aspects of a person's Identity. Within the Nordic area any ID card, e. g. driving licence is valid for Nordic citizens, because of the Nordic Passport Union. A driver's license, driver license, driver licence, or driving licence is an official document which states that a person may operate a

From March 25, 2001, the Schengen acquis fully applied to the five countries of the Nordic Passport Union (except for the Faroe Islands). Events 1199 - Richard I is wounded by a crossbow bolt while fighting France which leads to his death on April 6. Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. The term acquis communautaire, or (EU acquis (aˈki is used in European Union law to refer to the total body of EU law accumulated thus far The Faroe Islands or Faeroe Islands or simply Faroe(s or Faeroes (Føroyar meaning " Sheep Islands" Færøerne Old Norse There are some areas in the Nordic Passport Union that give extra rights for Nordic citizens, not covered by Schengen, such as less paperwork if moving to a different Nordic country, and fewer requirements for naturalisation. Naturalization is the acquisition of Citizenship or Nationality by somebody who was not a citizen or national of that country when he or she was born

Political dimension and divisions

The Nordic region has a political dimension in the joint official bodies called the Nordic Council and the Nordic Council of Ministers. The Nordic Council and the Nordic Council of Ministers is an intergovernmental forum for co-operation between the Nordic countries. The Nordic Council and the Nordic Council of Ministers is an intergovernmental forum for co-operation between the Nordic countries. In this context, several aspects of the common market as in the European Union have been implemented decades before the EU implemented them. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in

In the European Union, the Northern Dimension refers to external and cross-border policies covering the Nordic countries, the Baltic countries, and Russia. The Northern dimension is an initiative in the European Union regarding the cross-border and external policies covering Nordic countries, Baltic states Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending

The political cooperation between the Nordic Countries has not led to a common policy or an agreement on the countries' memberships in the European Union, Eurozone, and NATO. Euro Enlargement of the The North Atlantic Treaty Norway and Iceland are only members of NATO, while Finland and Sweden are only members of the European Union. Denmark alone participates in both organizations. Only Finland is a member of the Eurozone. The tasks and policies of the European Union overlap with the Nordic council significantly, e. g. the Schengen Agreement partially supersedes the Nordic passport free zone and a common labor market. The term Schengen Agreement is used for two agreements concluded among European states in 1985 and 1990 which deal with the abolition of systematic Border controls The Common Travel Area is a passport-free zone that comprises the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, the Isle of Man, Jersey

Flags and symbols

Flags

All Nordic countries, including the autonomous territories of Faroe and Åland Islands, have a similar flag design, all based on the Dannebrog, the Danish flag. The Faroe Islands or Faeroe Islands or simply Faroe(s or Faeroes (Føroyar meaning " Sheep Islands" Færøerne Old Norse The national flag of Denmark, Dannebrog, is red with a white Scandinavian cross that extends to the edges of the flag the vertical part of the They display an off-center cross with the intersection closer to the hoist, the "Nordic cross". Nordic Cross Flag Nordic Cross Scandinavian Cross is a pattern of flags usually associated with the Flags of the Scandinavian countries of which it originated

Denmark	Faroe Islands	Finland	Iceland	Norway	Sweden	Åland

Greenland and the Sami people have adopted flags without the Nordic cross, but they feature a circle which is placed off-center like the cross. The national flag of Denmark, Dannebrog, is red with a white Scandinavian cross that extends to the edges of the flag the vertical part of the The flag of the Faroe Islands is an offset cross following as with other Nordic flags the tradition set by Dannebrog. List of flags of Finland The flag of Finland, also called Siniristilippu ("Blue Cross Flag" dates from the beginning of the 20th century List of flags of Iceland The flag of Iceland was officially described in Law No The flag of Norway is red with an indigo blue Scandinavian cross outlined in white that extends to the edges of the flag the vertical part of the cross is shifted List of flags of Sweden The Flag of Sweden (Sveriges flagga is blue with a yellow Scandinavian cross that extends to the edges of the flag The flag of Åland refers to the geographical and political position of the Finnish islands of Åland just off the coast of Sweden: it is the The flag of Greenland was designed by Greenland native Thue Christiansen. The Sami flag is the flag of the Sami people, whose homeland is called Sápmi.

Greenland	The Sami people

Population

Population of the Nordic countries. The flag of Greenland was designed by Greenland native Thue Christiansen. The Sami flag is the flag of the Sami people, whose homeland is called Sápmi.

1. Sweden - 9,142,817
2. The demographics of Sweden have changed significantly as a result of immigration since World War II Denmark - 5,470,919
3. A majority of Danes today trace their heritage to Germanic tribes who have inhabited Denmark since prehistoric times Finland - 5,309,000 (including Åland with a population of 27,000)
4. Finland numbers some 53 million inhabitants and has an average population density of 17 inhabitants per square Kilometre. Norway - 4,770,000
5. Ethnicity Ethnically the residents of Norway are predominantly ethnic Norwegians who are of North Germanic / Nordic descent although there are communities Iceland - 316,252
6. Most Icelanders are descendants of Norwegian settlers and Celts from Ireland and Scotland, brought over as slaves during the age of settlement Greenland - 57,100
7. Population 56344 (July 2007 est Age structure 0-14 years 24% (male 6926 female 6597 15-64 years 69 Faroe Islands - 48,317

Areas with close relations to the Nordic countries

Several areas have a long and close relationship with and often identify with some or all of the Nordic countries. The vast majority of the population are ethnic Faroese, of Norse descent These are however for the most part not regarded as part of the Nordic group themselves.

Shetland and Orkney

The Northern Isles of Scotland - Orkney and Shetland - have a long-established Nordic identity. The Northern Isles ( Old Norse: Norðreyjar) are a chain of Islands off the north coast of mainland Scotland. Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. Orkney (also known as the Orkney Islands or incorrectly the Orkneys) is an Archipelago in northern Scotland, situated 10 miles (16 km north Shetland (formerly spelled Zetland, from etland; Old Norse non Hjaltland; Sealtainn is an Archipelago off the northeast coast of The islands were Norwegian colonies for more than 500 years, but ownership defaulted to the crown of Scotland in 1472 following non-payment of the marriage dowry of Margaret of Denmark and Norway, queen of James III of Scotland. This article is about a type of political territory For other uses see Colony (disambiguation. The monarch of Scotland was the Head of state of the Kingdom of Scotland. A dowry (also known as trousseau or tocher) is the money goods or estate that a woman brings to her soon to be husband in marriage For the queen consort of Norway historically known as her namesake see Margaret I of Denmark. James III (c 1451/1452 &ndash 11 June 1488) was King of Scots from 1460 to 1488

During World War II Shetland and Orkney were important bases for the Norwegian armed forces in exile. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Shetland Bus was based in Shetland and smuggled refugees, agents and supplies to and from Norway. The Shetland Bus was the popular name for the clandestine naval operation in World War II between the Shetland Islands ( Scotland) and Nazi -occupied

In later years financial relations, particularly in the maritime industries, have been important. Cultural and sporting exchanges are frequent. A genetic survey showed that 60% of the male population of Shetland and Orkney had Norwegian genes.

The traditional links to Scandinavia are reflected in the islands' flags, both of which are based around a Nordic cross:

Orkney	Shetland

Other regions of the British Isles have adopted symbols to allude to a similar Norse or Norse-Gaelic heritage. Nordic Cross Flag Nordic Cross Scandinavian Cross is a pattern of flags usually associated with the Flags of the Scandinavian countries of which it originated The new official Orkney Community Flag was the winner of a public flag consultation in February and March 2007. The flag of Shetland was designed by Roy Grönneberg and Bill Adams in 1969 The British Isles (Irish variously Na hOileáin Bhriotanacha, Oileáin Iarthair Eorpa, Éire agus an Bhreatain Mhór; Ellanyn Goaldagh Eileanan The Norse-Gaels were a people who dominated much of the Irish Sea region and western Scotland for a large part of the Middle Ages, who were of Scandinavian

Estonia

Estonians consider themselves a Nordic people rather than Balts,^[3][4] based on strong linguistic, cultural and historical ties with Finland in particular, and also with Sweden and Denmark. The Baltic states (Balti riigid Baltijas valstis Baltijos valstybės or Baltic countries are three countries in Northern Europe, all members of the The Estonian language is closely related to the Finnish language, and Estonians, as an ethnic group, are a Finnic people. Estonian (; ˈeːsti ˈkeːl is the official language of Estonia, spoken by about 1 Finnish ( or suomen kieli) is the language spoken by the majority of the population in Finland (92% As of 2006) and by ethnic Finns outside Estonians ( Estonian: eestlased, previously maarahvas) are a Finnic people closely related to the Finns and inhabiting primarily the country Estonia was part of the Danish and Swedish empires for many centuries prior to its absorption into the Russian Empire. The term Danish Empire can refer to Canute the Great 's rule over Denmark, Norway and England during the 11th century Sweden was between 1611 and 1718 one of the Great powers of Europe The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya It is generally thought that the name of the Estonian capital, Tallinn, derives from the Estonian taani linn, meaning 'Danish town'. Tallinn (historically known by the German, Swedish and Danish name Reval or the Polish name Rewal, among other names Estonian (; ˈeːsti ˈkeːl is the official language of Estonia, spoken by about 1

Flag of Estonia	Proposed Estonian flag featuring a Nordic cross	Flag proposed in 1919

Historically, large parts of Estonia’s north-western coast and islands have been populated by an indigenous ethnically Swedish population (Estonian Swedes). List of flags of Estonia The national flag of Estonia is a Tricolour featuring three equal horizontal bands of Blue (top Black The Estonian Swedes, Estonia-Swedes, or Coastal Swedes ( Swedish: Estlandssvenskar, or "Estonia Swedes" colloquially Aibofolke The majority of Estonia's Swedish population fled to Sweden in 1944, escaping the advancing Soviet Army. In 2007, Estonian Swedes were granted official cultural autonomy under Estonian law. ^[5]

Since regaining independence in 1991, Estonia has expressed interest in identifying with the Nordic community. Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia ( Eesti or Eesti Vabariik) is a Country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region In 1999, Estonian Foreign Minister — and current president since 2006 — Toomas Hendrik Ilves delivered a speech entitled "Estonia as a Nordic Country" to the Swedish Institute for International Affairs. Toomas Hendrik Ilves (ˈtoːmɑs ˈhendrik ˈilves born 26 December 1953) is the current President of Estonia. The Swedish Institute for International Affairs (Utrikespolitiska Institutet (UI is a public-service organization located in central Stockholm, Sweden. ^[6] In 2003, the foreign ministry also hosted an exhibit called "Estonia: Nordic with a Twist. A minister for foreign affairs, or foreign minister, is a governmental cabinet minister who helps form the Foreign policy of a sovereign nation "^[7] In 2005, Estonia also joined the European Union's Nordic Battle Group and shows interest in joining the Nordic Council. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in The Nordic Battlegroup (NBG is one of eighteen European Union Battlegroups. The Nordic Council and the Nordic Council of Ministers is an intergovernmental forum for co-operation between the Nordic countries.

Today there is a great deal of economic interdependence between Estonia and some of its Nordic neighbors. Three quarters of investments into Estonia come from Nordic states (principally Finland and Sweden), to which Estonia sends 58% of its exports. On the other hand, the Estonian political system and non-welfare-state model distinguish it from the Nordic states, and from many other European countries.

Others

The North of England, particularly the North East was once part of Danelaw. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland North-East England is one of the nine official Regions of England and comprises the combined area of Northumberland, County Durham, Tyne and Wear The Danelaw, as recorded in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (also known as the Danelagh; Old English: Dena lagu; Danish:

Finally, the northernmost part of Germany, Southern Schleswig on the Jutland peninsula, had a Scandinavian identity up until its transfer to Germany in the mid 19th century and its subsequent Germanisation. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Southern Schleswig is a name for the geographical area covering the thirty or forty northernmost kilometers of Germany, where Germany borders upon Denmark. This article is about the region of Denmark. For the World War I naval battle see Battle of Jutland. Germanisation (also spelled Germanization) is either the spread of the German language, people and culture either by force or Assimilation Today, the Nordic character of Southern Schleswig's society and its inhabitants is still very prominent.

See also

• Scandinavia
• Subdivisions of the Nordic countries
• Nordic Council
• Nordic Cross
• Northern Dimension
• Thule
• West Nordic Council
• Baltic countries
• Baltic region
• Largest Nordic Companies
• Northern Europe
• Nordic countries a journal created by Institut Choiseul for International Politics and Geoeconomics

References

External links

• Norden — the Nordic Council and the Nordic Council of Ministers' website.
• Nordregio — a European centre for research, education and documentation on spatial development, established by the Nordic Council of Ministers.
• NordRegio Statistics — a collection of thematic maps and figures of Nordic and Baltic countries by NordRegio.
• Go Scandinavia — official website of the Scandinavian Tourist Boards in North America.
• Scandinavia House — the Nordic Center in New York, run by the American-Scandinavian Foundation.

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