Northern Europe
Physical geography of Northern Europe
Northern Europe is made up of five countries:
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Norway and Sweden on the Scandinavian Peninsula
Denmark on the Jutland Peninsula
Finland in the eastern part of the region
The island country of Iceland in the North Atlantic Ocean.
Glaciation is the primary process by which the landforms of Northern Europe came to be as they are today.
During the last ice age, ice filled the valleys and carved out fjords that are now filled with seawater, creating
steep, rugged mountains.
Water systems of Northern Europe
• Glaciation left hundreds of thousands of lakes in Northern Europe.
• Iceland’s rivers consist of glacial debris, making them cloudy.
• Many of the rivers on the Scandinavian Peninsula contain falls and rapids that
hamper transportation between cities.
• The countries of Northern Europe harness the power of these falls and rapids to
run hydroelectric power plants.
Breiðamerkurjökull Glacier in Iceland
Climate, Biomes, and Resources
• The climate patterns and biomes of Northern Europe are affected by
latitude, landforms, wind patterns, ocean currents, and distance from
water.
• Natural vegetation varies from forests to tundra plants.
• While the area has oil and natural gas resources, the countries of the
region are leaders in developing renewable energy.
History and Government of Northern Europe
• The history of Northern Europe has been shaped by thousands of years of
migrations, invasions, and trade.
• From A.D 793 to 1050 Viking Age Scandinavian Vikings raided throughout
Europe.
• Viking kingdoms emerged in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway.
• A.D 800 close to 30 small kingdoms existed in Norway.
• The sea was used as a means of communication between the kingdoms.
• Norsemen-built ships of war and sent them raiding into western and eastern
Europe.
• Their language, Old Norse became the basis for present day Nordic languages.
History and Government of Northern Europe
• Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Iceland shared similar cultures, languages and
religions.
• In the 800’s a Christian mission was established in Denmark.
• In the 1100’s Finland became economically integrated with Sweden.
• In the 1300’s Denmark, Norway, Iceland and Sweden were united under one regent
in the Kalmar Union, which Denmark controlled.
Industrialization, Democracy and Independence
• 19th century brought many changes to Europe and the Nordic region.
• Industrialization required a larger population as more people were needed for jobs.
• An influx of new people brought new social classes and different socioeconomic
levels.
• The political culture changed as new classes of people brought new ideas that led to
democracy and independence among the countries in northern Europe.
• Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland are governed by Parliaments, but
they are constitutional monarchies.
• They share many similar policies in governing. They tax heavily in order to provide
free healthcare for all, and free education from elementary school through college.
• They also provide retirement for their senior citizens.
Population patterns
Population Patterns
• Migration and ethnicity have influenced where people have settled.
• The Sami are descendants of nomadic peoples who lived in
Scandinavia for thousands of years.
• The Nordic countries have lower population densities than most other
countries in Europe.
• Populations concentrate in areas near the sea and in metropolitan
areas.
Population Pyramid of Finland
Population patterns
visualize what life for a particular group will be like as they age. For
example, a five-year-old child in Finland today is part of a much
smaller group than the people over 60. So chances are society will
reflect that in various ways.
From the 1970’s to the present many people from other regions of Europe
and migrated to Northern Europe for work.
Others have arrived from war torn countries in Africa such as Somalia.
Recently, a wave of Syrians and Iraqis have also have been arriving.
Society and Culture Today
• While Protestant religions dominate in every Nordic country, society is
very secular.
• Northern Europe is filled with the world's most educated population, with
literacy rates at nearly 100 percent throughout the region.
• The governments function as welfare states, providing social services
but levying large taxes.
• Women are achieving equal status in Nordic society, nearing the same
status as men in the workplace.
Economic Activities
•All of the Nordic countries are small, open economies that rely on
foreign trade.
•Nordic countries rapidly evolved from agrarian-based economies into
modern, industrialized countries.
•Commercial fishing, mining, forestry, and energy are the main
resources in the area.
•The Nordic model emphasizes labor force participation and promotes
gender equality and fiscal expansion.
The Nordic Model and Working Women
“Sweden, Finland and Denmark can't rely on fossil fuel reserves—but lucrative
human resources: The region combines the world's highest female employment
rates with some of the most impressive fertility rates in developed countries—one
reason why it has weathered the crisis with solid public finances and respectable
growth (Iceland being the notable exception).
'One Norwegian lesson,' Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg said from his modestly
sized office one afternoon, 'is that if you can raise female participation, it helps the
economy, birthrates and the budget.”
—Katrin Bennhold, “Working Women Are the Key to Norway's Prosperity,” New
York Times, June 28, 2011.