Physical Geography of Northern Europe Landforms Northern Europe is made up of five countries: Norway and Sweden on the Scandinavian Peninsula, Denmark on the Jutland Peninsula, Finland in the eastern part of the region, and 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.

Glaciation left hundreds of thousands of lakes in Northern Europe. Physical Geography of Northern Europe Water Systems 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.

Climate, Biomes, and Resources Physical Geography of Northern Europe 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.

Human Geography of Northern Europe 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 Use the bar graph and introductory text to discuss how population statistics reveal trends such as population booms and declines. Ask students to identify a period that they may know of in the United States when a population boom occurred. (Possible answer: baby boomers; a time period after WWII when soldiers came home from the war and started families causing the population to boom) Have students write answers to each question. Then in a class discussion, invite students to share their answers.  Verbal/Linguistic

Navigation and Trade in Finland

Geiranger Fjords, Norway

Human Geography of Northern Europe 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.

History and Government Northern Europe, also referred to as the Nordic countries, has been shaped by years of invasions, migrations, and trade. Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Iceland have similar structures of societies and cultural traits. Industrialization brought an influx of new social classes, which changed the political culture. Following World War II, the Nordic countries developed democracies.

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.