North Europeans. Nordic countries

The article briefly talks about the countries of Northern Europe. Indicates the distinctive features that distinguish the states of the region from other European states. The main indicators by which the Scandinavian countries are recognized and absolute leaders are considered.

Where are the Nordic countries located?

The area of the region occupies about 20% of the total Europe, and the number of inhabitants of the region is almost 4% of the total European population.

Rice. 1. Northern Europe on the map.

The Scandinavian states are:

two European states - Sweden and Norway;
Iceland;
Denmark;
the self-governing area is the Faroe Islands.

The first two countries on the list occupy the Scandinavian Peninsula, which is the largest in Europe. Denmark is located on the Jutland peninsula and neighboring islands. It is geographically close to the Scandinavian Peninsula and is separated from it by the narrow Øresund Strait. Iceland is located on the island of the same name in the North Atlantic Ocean. It is separated from the Scandinavian Peninsula by a significant area of ocean waters, which is a difference of almost a thousand kilometers.

List of Northern European countries and their capitals

The list of Northern Europe today includes the following small states:

Denmark - Copenhagen;
Latvia, Riga;
Iceland - Reykjavik;
Lithuania - Vilnius;
Finland - Helsinki;
Norway - Oslo;
Estonia - Tallinn;
Sweden - Stockholm.

Rice. 3. Skyscraper Turning Torso in Malne. Sweden..

The largest of the states of the northern European region, which are part of Scandinavia, is Sweden, whose population is 9.1 million people, and Iceland is recognized as the smallest state. Its population does not exceed 300 thousand people. About 48% of women and 52% of men live in Northern Europe.

According to the UN gradation, Great Britain, along with part of its island territories, also belongs to Northern Europe.

The development of the Nordic countries is such that today these states are becoming leaders in the world economy. States significantly stand out among other European regions in terms of inflation and unemployment.

The economic growth model of the Scandinavian countries is considered the most attractive in the world. This primarily concerns the level of efficiency in the exploitation of external and national resources.

The main characteristic of the economy of Northern Europe is that it is focused not on the quantity, but on the quality of the product produced.

Almost all parts of Northern Europe are characterized by high standards of living. Countries are benchmarks in this area including the development of society. From the report international organizations It is known that Norway is in the first position in the world in terms of human development index.

What have we learned?

We found out that the Scandinavian countries have the highest life rates in comparison with other European powers. found out that the model economic development The northern region of Europe today is one of the most efficient in the world. Supplemented existing knowledge on the subject of geography (Grade 7). We received background information on the states that are part of the region.

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List of Nordic countries. Tourism: capitals, cities and resorts. Maps of foreign states of the Northern Europe region.

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Land of ice and volcanoes, Vikings and fjords, Nobel Prize and Niels with wild geese, Northern Europe, also called Scandinavia, is in many ways a unique land. The standard of universalism - from the notorious Swedish families to the Ikea store, orderliness and truly Nordic fortitude, a region with one of the highest living standards in the world, whose citizens demonstrate simply phenomenal examples of a happy, secure old age and the longevity resulting from it, a fiefdom harsh northern nature in all its piercing icy beauty, the birthplace of real men and warlike women, as well as modern queens and kings - all this is about the Scandinavian countries. To feel their soul most clearly, imagine a field of ripe wheat dormant in a milk mist under the morning frost: warmth, comfort, ice, abundance, majestic beauty and stamina - such is Scandinavia, the northernmost part of the Old World.

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In short, it is customary to refer to Northern Europe the European countries of the cold seas - the Baltic, Norwegian and North (as opposed to the warm southern "Mediterranean" and the western Atlantic). These are Norway and Sweden, dividing the territory of the Scandinavian Peninsula between themselves (poetically speaking, the body of the "tiger" along with the front paws), Finland (its ham and hind legs - well, how can you not remember the famous movie!), As well as Denmark and the "torn off" from the continent of Iceland. These states are close not only geographically, but also boast a common and rather long history, starting from the time when the Goths and Vikings, knowing no borders, roamed the harsh expanses of the peninsula.

Speaking strictly within the framework of geography, several archipelagos are also included here: the Faroe, Shetland and Orkney Islands, as well as the Hebrides, so there is also “island” tourism in Scandinavia.

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Northern Europe by bike

Tourist lures of Northern Europe are magnificent nature (which is worth at least the geysers of Iceland and the notorious volcano with a furious name, as well as fields of hardened lava and hydrogen sulfide thawed patches with the corresponding aroma), a sufficient number of interesting historical sights - from the sites of primitive people to medieval town halls and cathedrals, and futuristic creations of modern architects, as well as a remarkable "skiing" - without the Franco-Italian golden flair, but with northern good quality, generosity and cordiality. As for the ways to travel around Scandinavia, bus tours are extremely common in the region - the benefit of the “busers” is the direct proximity to St. Petersburg and excellent roads. Cruises are also popular. Norwegian fjords- narrow picturesque bays with crystal clean water and almost steep slopes covered with forests. Well, for those who cannot imagine life without open spaces of water, we recommend going on a multi-day cruise in the Baltic, calling at Scandinavian ports and visiting northern European capitals.

Well, in winter, Northern Europe is a balm for the soul of those yearning for a real winter - with fluffy snowdrifts above their heads, sprawling fir trees under snow caps, indispensable evening lanterns under snow-covered roofs and other joys of comfort in the middle of January, such as downy socks, a purring cat and mulled wine with your favorite book .

The plains of Fennoscandia, the islands of Iceland and Spitsbergen make up the northern part of Europe. The population living in these parts is 4% of the inhabitants of the whole and is 20% of the whole of Europe.

8 small states located on these lands make up the countries of Northern Europe. eights - Sweden, and the smallest - Iceland. According to the state system, only three countries are constitutional monarchies - Sweden, Norway and Denmark, the rest are republics.

Northern Europe. Participating countries:

Estonia;
Denmark;
Latvia;
Finland;
Lithuania;
Sweden.

Northern European countries - NATO members - Iceland and Norway.

Northern European countries. Population

Throughout Europe, 52% of men live, and 48% of women. In these parts, the population density is considered the lowest in Europe and in the densely populated southern regions it is no more than 22 people per 1 m2 (in Iceland - 3 people / m2). This is facilitated by the harsh northern climatic zone. Denmark is more evenly populated. The urban part of the northern European population is mainly concentrated in the metropolitan areas. The rate of natural growth of this area is considered low and is approximately 4%. Most of the inhabitants profess Christianity - Catholicism or Protestantism.

Northern countries of Europe. Natural resources

Northern European countries have large reserves of natural resources. Iron, copper, molybdenum ores are mined on the territory of the Scandinavian Peninsula, natural gas and oil are mined in the Norwegian and North Seas, and coal is mined on the Svalbard archipelago. Scandinavian countries have rich water resources. Nuclear power plants and hydroelectric power plants play an important role here. Iceland uses thermal water as a source of electricity.

Northern European countries. Agricultural complex

The agro-industrial complex of the northern European countries consists of fishing, agriculture and animal husbandry. Meat predominates - dairy direction (in Iceland - sheep breeding). Among the crops grown cereals - rye, potatoes, wheat, sugar beets, barley.

Economy

Many indicators of economic development prove that the Nordic countries are in the lead in the entire world economy. Unemployment and inflation rates, public finances and growth dynamics differ significantly from other European areas. No wonder the North European model of economic growth is recognized as the most attractive in the world community. Many of the indicators were influenced by the efficient use of national resources and foreign policy. The economy of this model is built on high-quality exported products. This applies to the production of metal products and goods of the pulp and paper industry, the timber processing industry, the machine-building industry, as well as ore deposits. The main trading partners of the Nordic countries in foreign trade are the Western European countries and the United States. Three quarters of Iceland's export structure is

These include: Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Faroe Islands, Finland, Sweden. The total area of the region is 1.3 million square meters. km, the population is about 23 million people. The main direction of agriculture is animal husbandry. The share of livestock products in o … World sheep breeding

Northern part of Western Europe; the concept is historical and geographical in nature. Usually in Sev. Europe includes the Scandinavian countries (Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark) as well as Finland. Sometimes to Sev. Europe is also referred to as northern. part… … Geographic Encyclopedia

VI. NORTHERN EUROPE- UK and Ireland. 9000 3000 BC Mesolithic. 3000 1800 BC Windmill Hill culture (Neolithic). 1800-1600 BC Peterborough and Skara Bre cultures (Neolithic). 1900 1200 BC culture of bell-shaped goblets (bronze). 1600 1100 BC… … Rulers of the World

VI. NORTHERN EUROPE - complete- … Rulers of the World

Europe- (Europe) Europe is a densely populated, highly urbanized part of the world named after a mythological goddess, forming together with Asia the continent of Eurasia and having an area of about 10.5 million km² (about 2% of the total Earth area) and ... Encyclopedia of the investor

This term has other meanings, see Europe (meanings). Political map of Europe ... Wikipedia

This article contains an unfinished translation from French. You can help the project by translating it to the end ... Wikipedia

On the map of the hemisphere of North America (eng. North America, fr. ... Wikipedia

Europe (Greek Europe, from Assyrian Ereb - west; in Ancient Greece this was the name given to the territories lying to the west of the Aegean Sea), part of the world, West Side mainland of Eurasia. I. General information In the north, Europe is washed by the Arctic Ocean and ... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

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Books

, Chernysheva O.V., Komarov A.A. (Ed.). The collection chronologically covers the period from the early Middle Ages to the present day. Of particular interest are the materials on the new and recent history: political events in Sweden - elections in ...
Northern Europe. Problems of history. Issue 8, . The collection chronologically covers the period from the early Middle Ages to the present day. Of particular interest are materials on modern and recent history: political events in Sweden - elections in ...

Section two

REGIONS AND COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD

Topic 10. EUROPE

4. NORTHERN EUROPE

Northern Europe includes the Scandinavian countries, Finland, the Baltic countries. The Scandinavian countries are Sweden and Norway. Considering the general historical and cultural features of the development of the Nordic countries, Denmark and Iceland are also included.

The Baltic states are Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia. Often in popular science literature one can also find the concept of "Phenoscandia", which has a more physical and geographical origin. It is convenient to use it in the economic and geographical characteristics of a group of countries in Northern Europe, which includes Finland, Sweden, Norway.

Northern Europe occupies the territory of 1433 thousand km 2, which is 16.8% of the area of Europe - the third place among the economic and geographical macro-regions of Europe, after Eastern and Southern Europe. The largest countries in terms of area are Sweden (449.9 thousand km 2), Finland (338.1 km 2) and Norway (323.9 thousand km 2), which occupy more than three-quarters of the territory of the macroregion. Small countries include Denmark (43.1 thousand km 2), as well as the Baltic countries: Estonia - 45.2, Latvia - 64.6 and Lithuania - 65.3 thousand km 2. Iceland is the smallest among the countries of the first group in terms of area and almost twice the area of any single small country.

Nordic countries, 1999

The country	Area, thousand km 2	Population million people	Population density (person / km 2)
Denmark	43,09		122,9
Estonia	45,22		30,9
Iceland	103,00
Latvia	64,60		37,1
Lithuania	65,20		56,7
Norway	323,87		13,6
Finland	338,14		15,4
Sweden	449,96		19,7
Total	1433,08	31,6	22,0

The territory of Northern Europe consists of two sub-regions: Fenoskandії and Baltic. The first subregion included such states as Finland, a group of Scandinavian countries - Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, along with the islands of the northern part of the Atlantic and the North Arctic Ocean. In particular, Denmark includes the Faroe Islands and the island of Greenland, which enjoys internal autonomy, while Norway owns the Svalbard archipelago. Most of the northern countries are brought together by the similarity of languages and cultures, are characterized by historical features development and natural-geographical integrity.

The second sub-region (the Baltic countries) includes Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, which, due to their geographical position, have always been northern. However, in reality, they could be attributed to the Northern macroregion only in the new geopolitical situation that developed in the early 90s of the XX century, that is, after the collapse of the USSR.

The economic and geographical position of Northern Europe is characterized by the following features: firstly, an advantageous position regarding the intersection of important air and sea routes from Europe to North America, as well as the convenience of access of the countries of the region to the international waters of the World Ocean; secondly, the proximity of the location to the level of highly developed countries of Western Europe (Germany, Holland, Belgium, Great Britain, France); thirdly, the neighborhood on the southern borders with the countries of the Central of Eastern Europe, in particular Poland, where market relations are successfully developing; fourthly, land proximity to Russian Federation, economic contacts with which will contribute to the formation of promising markets for products; fifthly, the presence of territories outside the Arctic Circle (35% of the area of Norway, 38% of Sweden, 47% of Finland). Other geographical features include the presence of the warm Gulf Stream, which has a direct impact on the climate and economic activity of all countries in the macroregion; a significant length of the coastline that runs along the Baltic, North, Norwegian and Barents Seas, as well as a predominantly platform structure of the earth's surface, the most expressive territory of which is the Baltic Shield. Its crystalline rocks contain minerals of predominantly igneous origin.

Natural conditions and resources. The Scandinavian mountains stand out clearly in the relief of Northern Europe. They were formed as a result of the uplift of Caledonian structures, which in subsequent geological epochs, as a result of weathering and the latest tectonic movements, turned into a relatively leveled surface, which in Norway is called felds.

The Scandinavian mountains are characterized by significant modern icing, which covers an area of almost 5 thousand km 2. The snow limit in the southern part of the mountains is at an altitude of 1200 m, and in the north it can drop to 400 m.

To the east, the mountains gradually decrease, turning into the Norland crystalline plateau with a height of 400-600 m.

In the Scandinavian mountains, altitudinal zoning is manifested. The upper border of the forest (taiga) in the south passes at an altitude of 800-900 m above sea level, falling in the north to 400 and even 300 m. Above the forest border there is a transitional belt 200-300 m wide, which is higher (700-900 m .) turns into a zone of mountain tundra.

In the southern part of the Scandinavian Peninsula, the crystalline rocks of the Baltic Shield gradually disappear under the strata of marine sediments, forming the Middle Swedish lowland, which, with the rise of the crystalline base, develops into the low Spoland plateau.

The Baltic crystalline shield is lowering to the east. On the territory of Finland, it rises somewhat, forming a hilly plain (Lake Plateau), which is north of 64 ° N. sh. gradually rises and in the extreme north-west, where the spurs of the Scandinavian mountains enter, reaches the highest heights (Mount Khamti, 1328 m.).

The formation of the relief of Finland was influenced by Quaternary glacial deposits, which blocked the ancient crystalline rocks. They form moraine ridges, boulders of various sizes and shapes, which alternate with big amount lakes, swampy depressions.

In terms of climatic conditions, the Northern Lands are the most severe part of Europe. Most of its territory is exposed to the oceanic masses of temperate latitudes. The climate of remote territories (islands) is arctic, subarctic, maritime. On the Svalbard archipelago (Norway) there is practically no summer, and the average July temperatures correspond to ... + 3 ° ... -5 °. Iceland, the furthest away from mainland Europe, has slightly better temperatures. Thanks to one of the branches of the North Atlantic Current, which runs along the southern coast of the island, here in July the temperatures are...+7°...+12°, and in January - from... -3° ...+2°. It is much colder in the center and in the north of the island. There is a lot of precipitation in Iceland. On average, their number exceeds 1000 mm per year. Most of them fall in autumn.

There are practically no forests in Iceland, but tundra vegetation prevails, in particular moss and aspen thickets. Meadow vegetation grows near warm geysers. In general, the natural conditions of Iceland are not very suitable for the development of agriculture, in particular agriculture. Only 1% of its territory, mainly onions, is used for agricultural purposes.

All other countries of Fenoscandia and the Baltics are characterized by the best climatic conditions, especially the western outskirts and the southern part of the Scandinavian Peninsula, which are under the direct influence of the Atlantic air masses, stand out. To the east, the warm oceanic air is gradually transformed. Therefore, the climate here is much harsher. For example, the average January temperatures in the northern part of the west coast vary from...-4° to 0°, and in the south 0...+2°. In the interior of Fenoscandia, winters are very long and can last up to seven months, accompanied by a polar night and low temperatures. The average January temperatures here are...-16°. During the penetration of arctic air masses, the temperature can drop to ... - 50 °.

Fenoscandia is characterized by a cool, and in the north also a short summer. In the northern regions, the average July temperature does not exceed +10-...+12 0 , and in the south (Stockholm, Helsinki) - ...+16-...+ 17 0 . Frosts can pester until June and appear in August. Despite such cool summers, most mid-latitude crops are ripening. This is achieved due to the continuation of the vegetation of plants during the long polar summer. Therefore, the southern regions of the Fenoscandian countries are suitable for the development of agriculture.

Precipitation is distributed very unevenly. Most of them fall in the form of rain on the western coast of the Scandinavian Peninsula - in the territory facing the moisture saturation of the Atlantic air masses. The central and eastern regions of Fenoscandia receive much less moisture - about 1000 mm, and the northeastern - only 500 mm. The amount of precipitation is also unevenly distributed over the seasons. The southern part of the west coast receives the most moisture during the winter months in the form of rain. The maximum precipitation in the eastern regions occurs at the beginning of summer. In winter, precipitation in the form of snow prevails. In the mountainous regions and in the northwest, snow lies for up to seven months, and in high mountains remains forever, thus fueling modern glaciation.

Denmark in terms of natural conditions is somewhat different from its northern neighbors. Being located in the middle part of the Central European Plain, it is more reminiscent of the Atlantic countries of Western Europe, where a mild, humid climate prevails. The maximum precipitation in the form of rain occurs in winter. There is almost no frost here. The average January temperature is about 0°. Only occasionally, when the arctic air breaks through, can there be low temperatures and snowfall. The average July temperature is about + 16°.

The countries of the Baltic subregion are dominated by a maritime climate with a transitional to temperate continental climate. Summers are cool (average July temperature is ...+16...+17°), winters are mild and relatively warm. Average January temperatures vary from 0° ...-5°. The climate of Lithuania is the most continental. The amount of precipitation per year varies between 700-800 mm. Most of them fall in the second half of summer, when the harvest and fodder are completed. Under the conditions of a flat surface and relatively weak evaporation, waterlogging of the lands occurs. In general, the climate and flat terrain of Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia contribute to economic activity person. The Nordic countries are not equally endowed with mineral resources. Most of them are in the eastern part of Fenoscandia, the foundation of which is composed of crystalline rocks of igneous origin, a striking manifestation of which is the Baltic Shield. Deposits of iron, titanium-magnesium and copper-sulfide ores are concentrated here. This is confirmed by the deposits of ferruginous ores in Northern Sweden - Kirunavare, Lussavare, Gellivare. The rocks of these deposits occur from the surface to a depth of 2000 m. The iron content is very high. It is 62-65%. Apatite is a valuable associated component of these iron ore deposits.

Titanomagnetite ores occupy vast territories in Finland, Sweden, Norway, although such deposits are not distinguished by significant reserves of raw materials.

Deposits of copper pyrite ores are widespread in Fenoscandia. The largest of them are located in Finland - Outokunpu (southeast of the country). On the western coast of Finland there is also a large copper deposit - Vikhanti. In addition to copper (1.7-3.7%), ores of igneous origin also contain iron - 2.7%, zinc - 0.8, nickel - 0.1, cobalt - 0.2, sulfur - 2.7%, as well as gold - 0.8 g/t, silver 9-12 g/t. Among other areas rich in copper ore, Central Sweden stands out.

In the north of Finland, one of the world's largest chrome ore deposits, Oliyarvi, is being developed. Until recently, it was believed that the Northern lands are poor in fuel and energy resources. Only in the early 60s of the XX century, when oil and natural gas were discovered in the bottom sediments of the North Sea, experts started talking about significant deposits. It was found that the volumes of oil and gas in the basin of this water area significantly exceed all known reserves of this raw material in Europe.

By international agreements, the North Sea basin was divided among the states located along its shores. Among the Nordic countries, the Norwegian sector of the sea turned out to be the most promising for oil. It accounted for more than one-fifth of the oil reserves. Denmark has also become one of the oil-producing countries using the oil and gas-bearing region of the North Sea.

Among other types of fuel in the countries of Northern Europe, oil shale from Estonia, coal from Spitsbergen, and peat from Finland are of industrial importance.

The northern territories are well endowed water resources. Their greatest concentration is the Scandinavian mountains, in particular the western part. For total river flow resources, Norway (376 km 3) and Sweden (194 km 3) are ahead, occupying the first two places in Europe. Per inhabitant, sparsely populated Iceland stands out for full and underground water flows, respectively 255 and 93 thousand m 3. Next come Norway, Sweden, Finland.

Hydropower resources are of great importance for the Nordic countries. Norway and Sweden are best provided with hydropower resources, where significant precipitation and mountainous terrain provide the formation of a strong and uniform flow of water, and this creates good prerequisites for the construction of hydroelectric power plants. The energy potential of Norway is the largest year, it is 152 billion kW / h / year.

Land resources, especially in the countries of the Scandinavian Peninsula, are insignificant. In Sweden and Finland they make up to 10% of agricultural land. In Norway - only 3%. Share of unproductive and inconvenientfor land development in Norway - 70% of the total area, in Sweden - 42%, and even in southern Finland - almost one third of the country's territory.

The situation is quite different in Denmark and in the Baltic countries. Arable land in the first occupies 60% of the total territory. In Estonia - 40%, in Latvia - 60% and in Lithuania - 70%. Soils in the northern macro-region of Europe, especially in the countries of Fenoscandia, are podzolic, waterlogged and unproductive. Requires significant reclamation.

Some lands, especially the tundra landscapes of Norway and Iceland, where moss-lichen vegetation predominates, are used for extensive reindeer grazing.

One of the greatest wealth of the Nordic countries is forest resources, that is, "green gold". Sweden and Finland stand out in terms of forest area and gross timber reserves, occupying the first and second places in Europe, respectively. Forest cover in these countries is high. In Finland it is almost 66%, in Sweden it is more than 59% (1995). Among other countries of the Northern macroregion, Latvia stands out with high forest cover (46.8%). According to some estimates, these countries occupy almost a third of European forest areas and gross timber reserves (excluding Eastern Europe). Dense coniferous forests occupy the highlands and plains of Central and Northern Sweden, the entire territory of Finland and the lower slopes of the mountain ranges of southeastern Norway and the wetlands of the Baltic countries.

Northern Europe has a variety of recreational resources: medium-altitude mountains, glaciers, fjords of Norway, skerries of Finland, picturesque lakes, waterfalls, full-flowing rivers, active volcanoes and geysers of Iceland, architectural ensembles of many cities and other historical and cultural monuments. Their high attractiveness contributes to the development tourism and other forms of recreation.

population.Northern Europe differs from other macro-regions both in terms of population and basic demographic indicators.

The northern lands are among the least populated territories. More than 31.6 million people live here, which is 4.8% of the total population of Europe (1999). The population density is low (22.0 persons per 1 km2). The smallest number of inhabitants per unit area is in Iceland (2.9 people per 1 km 2) and Norway (13.6 people per 1 km 2). Finland and Sweden are also poorly populated (with the exception of the southern coastal regions of Sweden, Norway, and Finland). Among the countries of Northern Europe, Denmark is the most densely populated (123 people per 1 km 2). The Baltic countries are characterized medium density settlements - from 31 to 57 people per 1 km 2).The population growth rate in Northern Europe is very low. If in the 70s of the XX century. Since the population grew by 0.4% per year, mainly due to natural increase, then in the early 90s its growth was reduced to zero. Second half of the last decade of the 20th century. characterized by negative population growth (-0.3%). The Baltic countries have a decisive influence on this situation. In fact, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania entered the stage of depopulation. As a result, the population in the Northern macro-region of Europe is projected to show almost no growth in the coming decades. For example, in 2025, only 32.6 million inhabitants will live here.

The countries of Fenoscandia, except Sweden, are characterized by positive but low natural population growth, with the exception of Iceland, where the natural increase has remained at 9 people per 1,000 inhabitants. So tense demographic situation primarily due to the low birth rate. The downward trend in fertility in European countries manifested itself in the 60s and in the early 90s of the last century in Europe was only 13 people per 1000 inhabitants, which is two times lower than the world average. In the second half of the 1990s, this trend continued, and the gap even grew somewhat. If we equate the birth rate of the Nordic countries with the European average of 10‰, then for the Nordic countries in most cases it is greater than or equal to the European average, with the exception of Estonia and Latvia, where the birth rate is 9%.

The reasons for this decline in the birth rate of the population for different countries different. If for Phenoscandia the main reason turned out to be natural demographic processes (increase in life expectancy, gradual aging of the population), then for the Baltic countries, the difficulties of transition to a market economy affected a slight decrease in living standards, and this could not but affect the level of childbearing. On average, in the Nordic countries, there are 1.7 children per woman, in Lithuania - 1.4, in Estonia - 1.2, and in Latvia - only 1.1 children. Accordingly, the infant mortality rate here is the highest: in Latvia - 15%, Estonia - 10% and in Lithuania - 9%, while in the macroregion this figure is 6%, and on average in Europe - 8 deaths per thousand births (1999). The mortality rate of the entire population in the Nordic countries is also quite differentiated. For the Baltic countries, it was 14%, being three points higher than the average European indicator, for the sub-region of Fenoskandiya - less than 1‰, amounting to 10 people per thousand inhabitants. In the world at that time, mortality was 9%, i.e. 2‰ below the European average and 2.5‰ below the average macroregional. The reasons for this phenomenon must be sought not in the standard of living or in the existing social protection, which has developed in the countries of Northern Europe, but in the growth of population losses associated with occupational diseases, industrial injuries, various kinds of accidents, as well as with the aging of the population. The average life expectancy in the Nordic countries is high - for men it is almost 74 years, and for women more than 79 years. Sweden, Norway, Iceland stand out with the highest life expectancy - 77-76 years for men and 82-81 years for women. In Latvia, life expectancy for men and women is the lowest - 64 and 79 years respectively.

The level of urbanization in the macroregion is quite high - more than 76%. Among individual countries, the total urban population in Iceland - 92%, Denmark - 85 and Sweden - 84%. largest city macroregion is the capital of Denmark - Copenhagen (1.5 million people). The group of large cities also includes Stockholm, Oslo, Gothenburg, Malmjo, Riga, Vilnius, where at least one third of the population of Northern Europe is concentrated.

Most countries of the macro-region are one-national: Sweden is home to 91% of Swedes, Finland - 90% of Finns, Norway - almost 97% of Norwegians, Denmark - more than 96% of Danes and Iceland - almost 99% of Icelanders. The Baltic countries should be considered an exception. Imperial policy in the national question former USSR has borne fruit. In Estonia, for example, Estonians are left with slightly more than half of the total population that lives there. The situation is somewhat better in Latvia, where Latvians make up almost 58%. Only in Lithuania, the autochthonous population significantly predominates - more than 80%. Russians predominate among national minorities (25% live in Estonia, 30% in Latvia and 9% in Lithuania), Ukrainians, Poles, Belarusians also live.

Most of the peoples of Northern Europe belong to the Indo-European language family, where the languages of the Germanic and Baltic language groups are the most common. The Scandinavian branch of the Germanic group of languages includes Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, and Icelandic. Swedish is spoken by part of the population of Finland, which lives in the south and west of the country.

The vast majority of Finnish citizens speak Finnish (including the small nomadic Sami people (Laplanders), which belongs to the Uralic language family of the peoples of the world.

Mostly the Sami live in Norway (30 thousand) and only 5 thousand - on the Finnish plateau. In summer, grazing herds of reindeer, they descend to coastal areas covered with tundra vegetation. The Sami - a people with dark hair and a low physique - were the first settlers of the remote regions of Fenoskandії. They moved here about 10 thousand years ago from Central Asia.