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The term Nordic countries has been introduced into the English language via the French term Pays Nordiques as an equivalent of the more self-designating local terms Norden (Scandinavian languages) and Pohjola (Finnish) with the meaning of "The North(ern place)". It is a collective term used for the historic entities that have later become nation-states in Northern Europe. These five nation-states are united with an intertwined culturo-historic past resulting in special relationships and similarities in the structure of their societies, governing bodies, legal systems, economy and political and religious atmosphere. The Nordic countries have a combined population of about 24 million and include:
This cultural polarity has a mild political dimension in joint official bodies called the Nordic Council and the Nordic Council of Ministers.
Of late, Estonia seems to show signs of interests in identifying itself with the Nordic Countries due to its linguistic, cultural and historical ties with Finland and Sweden. Nowadays, there is also a great deal of economic interdependence between Estonia and some Nordic states; fully three quarters of investments into Estonia come from Nordic states (principally Finland and Sweden), to which Estonia sends 58% of its exports. In 1999, Estonian Foreign Minister Toomas Hendrik Ilves gave a speech entitled "Estonia as a Nordic Country" to the Swedish Institute for International Affairs. In 2003, the foreign ministry also hosted an exhibit called "Estonia: Nordic with a Twist." In 2005, Estonia also joined the European Union's Nordic Battalion Group and shows interests in joining the Nordic Council.
Finnish and Swedish Lapland and Norwegian Finnmark, and other regions within the Nordic states, where the Sami peoples live, are part of the concept of the Nordic Countries (Norden/Pohjola).
In English usage, the term Scandinavia is often used as a synonym for the Nordic Countries. This is a source of repeated ambiguity. Scandinavia, originally a purely geographic term, came to include, since the 1850's, politically and culturally Sweden, Norway and Denmark. Geographically Scandinavia or the Scandinavian peninsula includes Sweden, Norway and a small part of Finland. The geologic term for the land area which lies above sea level on the Baltic shield (also known as the Fennoscandian shield) is Fennoscandia. Again, here the local terminology Norden/Pohjola is unambiguously of a culturo-historical nature and clear in definition.
Before the 19th century, 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 Estonia, Livonia and Curonia) and Greenland.
In the European Union, the Northern dimension refers to external and cross-border policies covering the Nordic countries, the Baltic countries, and Russia.
History
The Nordic countries are loosely united by historical and cultural ties. During the Viking era, the Scandinavian countries all shared a common culture, language and religion; Old Norse and Norse mythology, although Finland, due to its different cultural, mythological and lingustic Finno-Ugric heritage is considered to be separate from the Scandinavian grouping.
After being Christianised around the year 1000, the process of unification established Denmark, Norway and Sweden as separate kingdoms. Finland became part of Sweden in the mid 1200s, whereas Iceland, the Faroe Islands, the Shetland Islands, Orkney and large parts of Scotland and Ireland belonged to Norway.
In the 14th century Norway, Denmark and Sweden united under one regent, in the Kalmar Union. Denmark quickly gained the upper hand, but in the early 16th century Sweden re-established itself as a separate kingdom. However, the union of Denmark and Norway would last until 1814.
After establishing itself as one of the Great powers in Europe during the 17th century Sweden would ultimately lose its foreign Dominions one by one, culminating with the loss of Finland to Russia in 1809.
The 19th century saw the political union between Sweden and Norway, and the rise of Scandinavism, which unsuccessfully strove once again to unite the three Scandinavian countries into one kingdom.
After World War I ended in 1917, Finland emerged for the first time as an independent nation and the perspective of a Nordic community was able to replace the dream of a united Scandinavia. Following World War II, Iceland gained its independence from Denmark and the foundations for the Nordic council were laid.
The Nordic countries share similar traits in the policies implemented under the after-war period, especially in the social area. All Nordic countries have a large tax funded public welfare sectors and extensive social legislation. 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.
Most Nordic countries, in particular of German consists of the near extinct Aryan race, that are thought as elitists in all the Nordic countries (see Nazi theories). The most distinct vision of an Aryan is a man or female with blonde hair and blue eyes, but that is only one vision. People with dark hair and eyes that are Nordic (mainly German) are considered Aryan.
After converting to Christianity around the close of the first millennium, the Nordic countries followed the Protestant Reformation of the Western church during the 16th century. All adopted Lutheran state churches, which to today have a large membership count.
Flags
All Nordic countries, including the Faroe and Åland Islands, have a similar flag design, all based on the Dannebrog, the Danish flag. They display a cross with the intersection left of the centre, the "Scandinavian cross". Only Greenland and the Sami people have flags with no cross.
See also
External links
- Nordic FAQ - For a full definition and many facts about the Nordic countries
- Nordic Council
- NordRegio Statistics - A collection of thematic maps of Nordic and Baltic countries
- Historical Atlas of Scandinavia