The Nordic countries (also known as the Nordics or Norden; ) are a geographical and cultural region in Northern Europe and North America, as well as the Arctic and North Atlantic oceans. It includes the sovereign states of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, the autonomous territories of the Faroe Islands and Greenland, and the autonomous region of Åland.
The Nordic countries have much in common in their way of life, history, religion and social and economic model. They have a long history of political unions and other close relations but do not form a singular state or federation today. The Scandinavist movement sought to unite Denmark, Norway and Sweden into one country in the 19th century. With the dissolution of the union between Norway and Sweden (Norwegian independence), the independence of Finland in the early 20th century and the 1944 Icelandic constitutional referendum, this movement expanded into the modern organised Nordic cooperation. Since 1962, this cooperation has been based on the Helsinki Treaty that sets the framework for the Nordic Council and the Nordic Council of Ministers.
The Nordic countries cluster near the top in numerous metrics of national performance, including education, economic competitiveness, civil liberties, quality of life and human development. Each country has its own economic and social model, sometimes with large differences from its neighbours. Still, they share aspects of the Nordic model of economy and social structure to varying degrees. This includes a mixed market economy combined with strong labour unions and a universalist welfare sector financed by high taxes, enhancing individual autonomy and promoting social mobility. There is a high degree of income redistribution, commitment to private ownership and little social unrest.
North Germanic peoples, who comprise over three-quarters of the region's population, are the largest ethnic group, followed by the Baltic Finnic Peoples, who comprise the majority in Finland; other ethnic groups are the Greenlandic Inuit, the Sami people and recent immigrants and their descendants. Historically, the main religion in the region was Norse paganism. This gave way first to Roman Catholicism after the Christianisation of Scandinavia. Then, following the Protestant Reformation, the main religion became Lutheran Christianity, the state religion of several Nordic countries.Markkola, Pirjo (2015). "The Long History of Lutheranism in Scandinavia. From State Religion to the People's Church" . Perichoresis. 13 (2): 3–15. .
Although the area is linguistically heterogeneous, with three unrelated language groups, the common linguistic heritage is one factor that makes up the Nordic identity. Most Nordic languages belong to one of the North Germanic, Finno-Ugric, and Eskimo-Aleut language families. Danish, Norwegian and Swedish are considered mutually intelligible, and they are the working languages of the region's two political bodies. Swedish is a mandatory subject in Finnish schools and Danish in Faroese schools. Danish is also taught in schools in Iceland.
The combined area of the Nordic countries is . Uninhabitable ice caps and glaciers comprise about half of this area, mainly Greenland. In September 2021, the region had over 27 million people. Especially in English, Scandinavia is sometimes used as a synonym for the Nordic countries, but that term more properly refers to the three monarchies of Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Geologically, the Scandinavian Peninsula comprises the mainland of Norway and Sweden and the northernmost part of Finland."Scandinavia" . In Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary. Retrieved 10 January 2008: "Scandinavia: Denmark, Norway, Sweden – sometimes also considered to include Iceland, the Faeroe Islands, & Finland." (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.")."Scandinavia" (2005). The New Oxford American Dictionary, second edition, ed. Erin McKean. Oxford University Press, : "a cultural region consisting of the countries of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark and sometimes also of Iceland, Finland, and the Faroe Islands".Scandinavia (2001). The Columbia Encyclopedia, sixth edition. Retrieved 31 January 2007: "Scandinavia, region of N Europe. It consists of the kingdoms of Sweden, Norway, and Denmark; Finland and Iceland are usually, but incorrectly, considered part of Scandinavia".Scandinavia (2007). Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 31 January 2007, from Encyclopædia Britannica Online: "Scandinavia, historically, part of northern Europe, generally held to consist of the two countries of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Norway and Sweden, with the addition of Denmark".Scandinavia (2006). Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia. Retrieved 30 January 2007: "Scandinavia (ancient Scandia), name applied collectively to three countries of northern Europe – Norway and Sweden (which together form the Scandinavian Peninsula), and Denmark". Archived 1 November 2009.
Etymology and concept of the Nordic countries The term Nordic countries found mainstream use after the advent of Foreningen Norden. The term is derived indirectly from the local term Norden, used in the North Germanic (Scandinavian) languages, which means 'The North(ern lands)'. Unlike the Nordic countries, the term Norden is in the singular. The demonym is nordbo, literally meaning 'northern dweller'.
Similar or related regional terms include:
Scandinavia refers typically to the cultural and linguistic group formed by Denmark, Norway and Sweden, or the Scandinavian Peninsula, which is formed by mainland Norway and Sweden as well as the northwesternmost part of Finland. Outside of the Nordic region the term Scandinavia is sometimes used as a synonym for the Nordic countries. First recorded use of the name by Pliny the Elder about a "large, fertile island in the North" (possibly referring to Scania).Caplex. Leksikon, atlas, tabellverk. Oslo: Cappelen, 1997. Fennoscandia refers to the area that includes the Scandinavian Peninsula, Finland, Kola Peninsula and Karelia. This term is mostly restricted to geology, when speaking of the Fennoscandian Shield. Cap of the North consists of the provinces and counties of Lapland in Finland; Finnmark, Nordland and Troms in Norway; and Lapland and Norrbotten in Sweden. This Arctic area is located around and north of the Arctic Circle, within Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Kola Peninsula in Russia. Barents Region is formed by the Cap of the North as well as the Northern Ostrobothnia and Kainuu regions of Finland, Swedish provinces of Lapland, Västerbotten and Norrbotten, Russian Oblasts of Arkhangelsk and Murmansk, Nenets Autonomous Okrug, as well as the Republics of Karelia and Komi. This area cooperates through the Barents Euro-Arctic Council and Barents Regional Council.
List
Sovereign states
Sovereign state Kingdom of Denmark Republic of Finland Iceland Kingdom of Norway Kingdom of Sweden Flag Coat of arms Official local nameKongeriget DanmarkSuomen tasavaltaRepubliken FinlandÍslandKongeriket NorgeKongeriket NoregNorgga gonagasriikaKonungariket Sverige Local common nameDanmarkSuomiFinlandÍslandNorgeNoregNorgaSverige English common nameDenmarkFinlandIcelandNorwaySweden Population (2021 estimate)5,894,6875,587,442354,2345,509,59110,261,767 Area43,094 km2338,145 km2103,000 km2385,207 km2450,295 km2 Population density (2015 estimate)/km2/km2/km2/km2/km2 Capital cityCopenhagenHelsinkiReykjavíkOsloStockholm Largest urban areasCopenhagen – 2,135,634Aarhus – 330,639Odense – 213,558Aalborg – 205,809Esbjerg – 116,032Helsinki – 1,576,438Tampere – 370,084Turku – 315,751Oulu – 200,400Jyväskylä – 140,812Reykjavík – 247,590Akureyri – 18,103Reykjanesbær – 14,000Akranes – 6,699Selfoss – 6,512Oslo – 1,546,706Bergen – 265,470Stavanger/Sandnes – 229,911Trondheim – 191,771Fredrikstad/Sarpsborg – 117,510Stockholm – 2,415,139Gothenburg – 1,015,974Malmö – 707,120Helsingborg – 272,873Uppsala – 253,704 Form of governmentUnitary parliamentary constitutional monarchyUnitary parliamentary republicUnitary parliamentary republicUnitary parliamentary constitutional monarchyUnitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy Current head of state and governmentFrederik X (King)Mette Frederiksen (Prime Minister)Alexander Stubb (President)Petteri Orpo (Prime Minister)Halla Tómasdóttir (President)Kristrún Frostadóttir (Prime Minister)Haakon VIII (King)Jonas Gahr Støre (Prime Minister)Carl XVI Gustaf (King)Ulf Kristersson (Prime Minister) European Free Trade AssociationNoNoYesYesNo European UnionYesYesNoNoYes European Economic AreaYesYesYesYesYes Official languagesDanishFinnish and SwedishIcelandicNorwegian and SamiSwedish Official or recognized minority languagesGerman (in South Jutland)Sami, Romani, Sign Language, KarelianIcelandic Sign LanguageKven, Tavringer, RomaniFinnish, Sami, Romani, Yiddish and Meänkieli Main religions74.8% Lutheran5.3% Islam19.9% other, unspecified or no religion67.8% LutheranPopulation structure Statistics Finland1.1% Orthodox1.7% other religion29.4% unspecified or no religion63.5% Lutheran11.7% other Christian3.3% other religion21.5% unspecified or no religion68.7% Lutheran7.0% other Christian3.4% Islam0.8% other religion20.2% no religionChurch of Norway 17 June 2020 Statistics NorwayMembers of Christian communities outside the Church of Norway. 8 December 2020 Statistics NorwayMembers of religious and life stance communities outside the Church of Norway 8 December 2020 Statistics Norway60.2% Lutheran8.5% other31.3% no religion GDP (nominal) (2016)$306.7 billion$236.8 billion$20.0 billion$370.4 billion$511.3 billion GDP (nominal) per capita (2016)Some data refers to IMF staff estimates but some are actual figures for the year 2015, made in April 2016. World Economic Outlook Database April 2016 , International Monetary Fund. Accessed on 12 April 2016.Data refer mostly to the year 2014. (selecting all countries, GDP per capita (current US$), World Bank. Accessed on 9 July 2015.National Accounts Main Aggregates Database, December 2014 , (Select all countries, "GDP, Per Capita GDP – US Dollars", and 2014 to generate table), United Nations Statistics Division. Accessed on 4 January 2016.$53,744$43,169$59,629$70,392$51,165 GDP (PPP) (2016) European Union calculated by sum of individual countries.$273.8 billion$231.3 billion$16.5 billion$364.4 billion$498.1 billion GDP (PPP) per capita (2016)$47,985World Economic Outlook Database, April 2016 , International Monetary Fund . Database updated on 12 April 2016. Accessed on 14 April 2016."GDP per capita, PPP (current international $)", World Development Indicators database , World Bank. Database updated on 11 April 2016. Accessed on 14 April 2016.GDP – per capita (PPP), The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on 7 March 2014.$42,165$49,136$69,249$49,836 Real GDP growth rate (2019 est.)2.85%1.15%1.94%0.86%1.29% CurrencyDanish kroneEuroIcelandic krónaNorwegian kroneSwedish krona Military expenditure2.4% of GDP2.50% of GDP0.13% of GDP1.4% of GDP1.18% of GDP Military personnel72,135900,00013069,70057,000 Labour force2,962,3402,677,260197,2002,781,4205,268,520 Human Development Index rank (2021 data, 2022 report)611327 Corruption Perceptions Index rank (2022)121445 Press Freedom Index rank (2022)251513 Fragile States Index rank (2022)175179177178170 Economic Freedom rank (2023)109131411 Global Competitiveness rank (2019)101126178 Environmental Performance rank (2020)171798 Good Country rank (2022)2520111 Global Gender Gap Report rank (2022)312135 World's Mothers report rank (2014)61423 World Happiness Report rank (2023)21376The figures in this table do not include the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Åland, Jan Mayen, Svalbard, Bouvet Island, Peter I Island, and Queen Maud Land.
Associated territories and other areas