Northern Europe, also known as Scandinavia, is a region that consists of countries above the 54 °N. The countries of that region are Iceland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland. Northern Europe is known for its rich natural landscape from active geysers and volcanoes to green and lush forests. Glaciers are very common in this region of Europe, which make up fjords and lakes. This region is known for its fishing and manufacturing industry since the major cities, such as Helsinki and Stockholm, are major port cities. These centers serve huge importance for the Northern European region because its economy depends on the profit made by the trade.
Culture-wise, the Scandinavian countries mostly practice Evangelical Lutheran Christianity. Separation between church and state is very common in Scandinavian countries as their main goal for their government is to provide services to support their community without favoring or giving preference to one religious group over the other. Christmas and Easter are big holidays celebrated in this region. In Sweden, St. Lucia is a holiday celebrated before Christmas to spread light and joy during the holiday season during the cold winters. The language family that dominates this region is the Nordic Languages. Swedish, Danish, and Finnish make up the languages of the Nordic Language family.
Historically speaking, Scandinavia was first dominated by nomadic groups whose efforts focused on hunting and fishing. Vikings came into the Nordic region in the 8th century. Their efforts focused on expanding their empire by conquering land from other empires. In order to conquer land and expand their empire, the Vikings cultivated ship-building and navigation skills. In the 14th century, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and later on Iceland were all ruled under one monarchy/ ruler, known as the Kalmar Union. The union was established to counter the rise of the power from the Germanic Hanseatic League, which is a trade alliance in the German empire. As a result, there were many conflicts and clashes between Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. Thus, in 17th century, the Treaty of Brömsebro ceded territory of Norway to Sweden. Later on, the Treaty of Kiel split Norway and Denmark as separate countries. In 1809, Finland was absorbed into the Russian empire. During World War II, Finland had to negotiate with the Soviet Union to gain their territorial status back and to do it in a way to avoid conflict. They essentially gained their independence. In modern times, the Northern European region is focusing on its efforts as acting as a foreign trading partner by being part of European and International organizations, such as the European Free Trade Association.
Culture-wise, the Scandinavian countries mostly practice Evangelical Lutheran Christianity. Separation between church and state is very common in Scandinavian countries as their main goal for their government is to provide services to support their community without favoring or giving preference to one religious group over the other. Christmas and Easter are big holidays celebrated in this region. In Sweden, St. Lucia is a holiday celebrated before Christmas to spread light and joy during the holiday season during the cold winters. The language family that dominates this region is the Nordic Languages. Swedish, Danish, and Finnish make up the languages of the Nordic Language family.
Historically speaking, Scandinavia was first dominated by nomadic groups whose efforts focused on hunting and fishing. Vikings came into the Nordic region in the 8th century. Their efforts focused on expanding their empire by conquering land from other empires. In order to conquer land and expand their empire, the Vikings cultivated ship-building and navigation skills. In the 14th century, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and later on Iceland were all ruled under one monarchy/ ruler, known as the Kalmar Union. The union was established to counter the rise of the power from the Germanic Hanseatic League, which is a trade alliance in the German empire. As a result, there were many conflicts and clashes between Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. Thus, in 17th century, the Treaty of Brömsebro ceded territory of Norway to Sweden. Later on, the Treaty of Kiel split Norway and Denmark as separate countries. In 1809, Finland was absorbed into the Russian empire. During World War II, Finland had to negotiate with the Soviet Union to gain their territorial status back and to do it in a way to avoid conflict. They essentially gained their independence. In modern times, the Northern European region is focusing on its efforts as acting as a foreign trading partner by being part of European and International organizations, such as the European Free Trade Association.
