Northern Europe F Background –Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland –close relationships with each other historically F Regional Characteristics –only highly developed, populated region so far north (latitude of Alaska) –westerly winds warmed by North Atlantic Drift –ocean cools in summer –above freezing in January; degrees in July –peaceful cooperation of countries since early 19th C

–languages mutually intelligible except for Finnish –Evangelical Lutheran Church 90% of population –small size, resource limitation have made for highly specialized economies –very high standards of education, physical safety, creative achievement –most governments attracted to moderate socialism and substantial welfare systems F Denmark –Copenhagen (1.7 mil) largest city in North Europe u lies on island of Sjaelland (Zealand) at eastern margin of Denmark u Sweden only 12 across the Sound

Northern Europe Physical Map

u transit and entrepot business u industries include imported/exported foods, chemicals, engineering services –Factors in Denmark’s Agricultural Success u agriculture very important in overall economy u 3/5’s of total land cultivated, largest of any European country u agriculture so efficient that it only employed 5% of population u 1/3 of exports are agricultural products u highly specialized with animal husbandry, dairy farming, sale of animals for meat u important role of cooperative societies in production, processing, standards, and marketing u very high level of education

F Norway –Physical Characteristics u long western coast stretched 1000 miles u extremely rugged, no soil, scraped bare by glaciation u 70% of mountainous wasteland;25% forest;5% arable pastureland u terrain hinders agriculture and transportation –Fjords u much of population scattered in small isolated clusters u hydroelectricity produces 99% of all power –Urban Areas u Three main cities on West coast are Bergen, Trondheim, and Stavanger u Oslo capital, largest city, industrial, commercial and cultural center

u half of population lives in southeast core near Oslo –Economy u extensive agricultural land and large forests u saw mills, pulp and paper, metallurgy, electrochemical industries and consumer goods u rich in natural resources, spectacular scenery, water power, fish, minerals u discovery of oil and gas in North Sea have made Norway one of the most affluent countries in Europe F Sweden –Background u largest country in area and population (8.7 million) u shares mountains of Scandinavian Peninsula with Norway; fertile farm lands in south; ice-scoured forests in north

–Economy and Resources u high development of engineering and metallurgical industries u mining and smelting in Bergslagen region u handicapped by lack of coal originally, now use of hydroelectric power to produce highest quality steel u new sources of iron ore from Kiruna and Gallivare above Arctic circle u fabricating industries, exports of autos (Volvo and Saab) industrial machinery, ball bearings, cutlery, tools, surgical instruments, glassware, and furniture u Swedish manufacturing in Central Lowland u much of land naturally forested with coniferous softwoods u saw milling, pulp and paper making, wood chemicals, synthetic fabrics, plywood

u less specialized export-orientated agriculture than Denmark u some good agricultural land in Skane on southern tip u high GNP per capita u most markets for Swedish products in Norway, UK, Denmark, Netherlands –Stockholm and Goteberg u Stockholm (1.5 mil) second largest city in North Europe u administrative, financial, and cultural center u increasing importance of Goteberg as trading port u Goteborg harbor ice-free year round, closer to European markets –Swedish policy of neutrality and preparedness u in 17th C Sweden was powerful, imperialistic country u rising power checked by Russian and Prussia in 18th C

u no experience with warfare since 1814 u successful policy of neutrality and cooperative diplomacy u heavily armed but not a NATO country u 1994 referendum on joining the EU favorable u construction of tunnel between Sweden and Denmark; building major road links to all Nordic countries F Finland –Background u conquered and Christianized by Swedes in 12th C u ceded by Sweden to Russia in 1809 u developed own culture and nationalistic feelings under Russian control u opportunity for independence after collapse of Tsarist system in 1917

–Economy u most of Finland is sparsely populated, glacially scoured, subartic wilderness u land of a thousand lakes and marshes u agricultural land in fertile and warmer south u hay, oats, barley, livestock production and dairying u dependent on exports of forest products (spruce and pine) u hydroelectric, thermal, and nuclear power –Helsinki u population of 1 million u located on Gulf of Finland u largest city, main seaport, main commercial and cultural center

–Problems of a Buffer State u buffer between Russia, Scandinavia and Germany u “winter war” with Soviet Union in u fought with Nazi Germany in 1941 to regain lost territory but was defeated u economy heavily burdened by outcome of war with Russia u rapid recovery due to metalworking industries u metal industries now as important as forest industries F Iceland –Background u large, mountainous island in Atlantic Ocean u very rugged surface from glaciation and vulcanism u tundra vegetation with few trees

u strong winds u cool summers averaging 50 degrees F –Economy u no mineral resources u good hydro and geothermal resources u most population lives in coastal settlements u Reykjavik, capital with 150,000 population, warmed by North Atlantic Drift u Reykjavik has same average January temperatures as New York city u fishing, farming, cattle, sheep u production of hardy vegetables like potatoes u manufacturing mainly consists of food processing

–Politics u Iceland a colony of Denmark for centuries u independence since 1918 under Kind of Denmark until 1944 when Iceland became a republic u occupied by US and UK in WW II u member of NATO alliance u no military forces of its own F Greenland, Faeroes, and Svalbard –Denmark holds Greenland, largest island off North America and Faeroes islands between Norway and Iceland u Greenland about 1/4 size of US with 85% of land covered by ice; about 60K population

u fishing, hunting, trapping, sheep grazing, mining of zinc and lead important to Greenland u radar installation at Thule in remote NW –Faeroes are group of treeless islands u approximately 50K people u people of Norwegian descent u make living by fishing and grazing sheep –Svalbard u group of island in Arctic Ocean u covered with ices u deposits of high-grade coal mined by Norwegian and Russian companies