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113-567: Nymindegab lies in Southwest Jutland , Denmark , and is a former fishing village by the former outflow at the southern end of Ringkøbing Fjord . In the summer, it is a well-attended tourist town with a permanent population of 204 (1 January 2024). It is located in Varde Municipality and belongs to Region of Southern Denmark . The town is situated at the southern end of the isthmus of Holmsland Dunes , which demarcates

226-752: A dependent territory . Little evidence remains in the Nordic countries of the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, or the Iron Age with the exception of a limited numbers of tools created from stone, bronze and iron, some jewelry and ornaments and stone burial cairns. However, one important collection that exists is a widespread and rich collection of stone drawings known as petroglyphs . The Goths , who originated in southern Scandinavia and would later divide into Visigoths and Ostrogoths , are known to have been one of

339-554: A district of Stormarn northeast of Hamburg in Schleswig-Holstein. But this district does not cover the entire area of the historic region of Stormarn, and while those parts of Stormarn now lying in Schleswig-Holstein are nowadays considered parts of Holstein, the areas of Stormarn today in the city-state of Hamburg, are not. The bulk of the southernmost areas of the Jutland peninsula belongs to Holstein , stretching from

452-647: A retaliatory strike in conjunction with the German attack on the Soviet Union. However, more territory was lost and for many years to come Finnish foreign policy was based on appeasing the Soviet Union , even though Finland was able to retain its democratic form of government. Denmark and Norway were occupied by Germany in 1940. The Allies responded by occupying Iceland, the Faroe Islands and Greenland. Sweden managed to formally maintain its neutrality in

565-664: A clear day. Even excluding Greenland and the Norwegian islands of Svalbard and Jan Mayen , the remaining part of the Nordic countries covers around 1.3 million square kilometres. This is about the same area as France, Germany and Italy together. To the south, the countries neighbor the Baltic states , Poland, Germany and the United Kingdom, while to the north there is the Arctic Ocean . Notable natural features of

678-759: A defensive wall stretching from present-day Schleswig and inland halfway across the Jutland Peninsula. The pagan Saxons inhabited the southernmost part of the peninsula, adjoining the Baltic Sea, until the Saxon Wars in 772–804 in the Nordic Iron Age , when Charlemagne violently subdued them and forced them to be Christianised. Old Saxony was politically absorbed into the Carolingian Empire and Abodrites (or Obotrites ),

791-488: A frugal childhood. The very urban Kierkegaard visited his sombre ancestral lands in 1840, then a very traditional society. Writers like Steen Steensen Blicher (1782-1848) and H.C. Andersen (1805–1875) were among the first writers to find genuine inspiration in local Jutlandic culture and present it with affection and non-prejudice. Blicher was of Jutish origin and, soon after his pioneering work, many other writers followed with stories and tales set in Jutland and written in

904-603: A geographical and cultural region in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic . 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

1017-612: A group of Wendish Slavs who pledged allegiance to Charlemagne and who had for the most part converted to Christianity , were moved into the area to populate it. Old Saxony was later referred to as Holstein . In medieval times, Jutland was regulated by the Law Code of Jutland ( Jyske Lov ). This civic code covered the Danish part of the Jutland Peninsula, i.e., north of the Eider (river) , Funen as well as Fehmarn . Part of this area

1130-535: A heavy influence on the weather in the western coastal zones of Iceland, Norway, Denmark and Sweden. The precipitation is high and snow cover during winters is rare. Summers are generally cool. The further away that one gets from the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf Stream the colder it gets during the winters. Finland, most of Sweden and the south-eastern part of Norway are influenced by the vast continent to

1243-434: A long history of political unions and other close relations but do not form a singular entity 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

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1356-916: A major role in the establishment of the early-modern states in Denmark–Norway and Sweden. Sweden was very successful during the Thirty Years' War , while Denmark was a failure. Sweden saw an opportunity of a change of power in the region. Denmark–Norway had a threatening territory surrounding Sweden and the Sound Dues were a continuing irritation for the Swedes. In 1643, the Swedish Privy Council determined Swedish territorial gain in an eventual war against Denmark–Norway to have good chances. Not long after this, Sweden invaded Denmark–Norway. The war ended as foreseen with Swedish victory and with

1469-521: A number of smaller towns, make up the suggested East Jutland metropolitan area , which is more densely populated than the rest of Jutland, although far from forming one consistent city. 1. Hamburg (boroughs north of the Elbe ) 1,667,035 2. Kiel 247,717 3. Lübeck 218,095 4. Flensburg 92,550 5. Norderstedt 81,880 6. Neumünster 79,502 7. Elmshorn 50,772 8. Pinneberg 44,279 9. Wedel 34,538 10. Ahrensburg 34,509 Geologically ,

1582-556: A political dimension in the joint official bodies called the Nordic Council and the Nordic Council of Ministers. The Helsinki Treaty , signed on 23 March 1962 entered into force on 1 July 1962 and is the political agreement which sets the framework for Nordic cooperation. 23 March is celebrated as the "Nordic Day" as the treaty is sometimes referred to as the constitution of the Nordic cooperation. Several aspects of

1695-689: A series of plateaux and gently undulating plains . The western parts of the mountains are cut by fjords, producing a dramatic landscape. The landscape of Sweden can be described as a mixture of that of Norway, Finland and Denmark. Except at the High Coast the coastal areas of Sweden form lowlands. Sweden has three highland areas, the South Swedish Highlands , the Scandinavian Mountains and the Norrland terrain which

1808-545: A significant cultural border until this day, also reflected in differences between the West and East Jutlandic dialect. When the industrialisation began in the 19th century, the social order was upheaved and with it the focus of the intelligentsia and the educated changed as well. Søren Kierkegaard (1818–1855) grew up in Copenhagen as the son of a stern and religious West Jutlandic wool merchant who had worked his way up from

1921-667: A whole is called Østersøen and Ostsee , respectively. The peninsula's land border in the southeast and south is constituted by a string of several rivers and lakes: from the mouth of the Trave at Lübeck - Travemünde up to the mouth of the Wakenitz into the Trave (in Lübeck), from there up the Wakenitz until its outflow from lake Ratzeburger See , then through lake Kleiner Küchensee to

2034-503: Is a little lower than the United States, but higher than Canada. In round figures, Iceland's population density resembles Canada's. This list includes dependent territories within their sovereign states (including uninhabited territories), but does not include claims on Antarctica . EEZ+TIA is exclusive economic zone (EEZ) plus total internal area (TIA) which includes land and internal waters. The Kingdom of Denmark includes

2147-404: Is a strong consensus about keeping to the general concept. A central theme in the Nordic model is the "universalist" welfare state aimed specifically at enhancing individual autonomy, promoting social mobility and ensuring the universal provision of basic human rights, as well as for stabilising the economy. In this model welfare is not just aid to those who are in need of it, but a central part of

2260-529: Is adjacent to South Jutland in the south. South Jutland stretches between Sønderjylland in the south, and the border between the two administrative regions of Southern Denmark and Central Jutland in the north. West Jutland ( Vestjylland ) is the central western part of Northern Jutland. It lies between Blåvandshuk in the south, and the Nissum Bredning in the north. It is north of South Jutland and west of East Jutland. East Jutland ( Østjylland )

2373-690: Is also the largest lake on the whole Jutland peninsula), Selenter See , Kellersee , Dieksee , Lanker See , Behler See , Postsee , Kleiner Plöner See , Großer Eutiner See , and the Stocksee. One of the world's most frequented artificial waterways, the Kiel Canal , runs through the Jutland peninsula in Holstein, connecting the North Sea at Brunsbüttel to the Baltic at Kiel - Holtenau . The Eider

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2486-573: Is hardly any wild nature left. Most of the scarce forests are plantations and nearly 60 per cent of Denmark's total area is cultivated or zoned as gardens or parks. On the other hand, in the other Nordic countries there is much wild nature left. Only between 0 and 9 per cent of the land in the other Nordic countries is cultivated. Around 17 per cent of the land area in Iceland is used for permanent meadows and pastures and both Finland, Norway as well as Sweden have large forest areas. The Nordic region has

2599-610: Is more fertile with lakes and lush forests. The southwestern coast is characterised by the Wadden Sea , a large unique international coastal region stretching through Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands. The peninsula's longest river is the Eider , that rises close to the Baltic but flows in the direction of the North Sea due to a moraine, while the Gudenå is the longest river of Denmark. In order for ships not having to go around

2712-461: Is now in Germany. During the industrialisation of the 1800s, Jutland experienced a large and accelerating urbanisation and many people from the countryside chose to emigrate. Among the reasons was a high and accelerating population growth; in the course of the century, the Danish population grew two and a half times to about 2.5 million in 1901, with a million people added in the last part of

2825-432: Is reputed to be the oldest working parliament in the world. However, it was dissolved for much of the first half of the 19th century. In Denmark, Iceland and Sweden elections are held at least once every four years. Finland, Åland and Norway have fixed four-year election periods. Elections in the Faroe Islands and Greenland follow the Danish system of elections. The Danish Folketing has 179 seats, including two seats each for

2938-663: Is the central eastern part of Northern Jutland. It lies between Skærbæk on the Kolding Fjord in the south, and the end of the Mariager Fjord in the north. Aarhus , the largest city completely on the Jutland peninsula, is in East Jutland. The concept of Central Jutland ( Midtjylland ) is of recent date, since a few decades ago it was usual to divide Northern Jutland into the traditional East and West Jutland (in addition to North and South Jutland), only. However,

3051-549: Is the eastern continuation of the Scandinavian Mountains. The South Swedish Highland and the Norrland terrain are separated by the Central Swedish lowland . The topography of Iceland stands out among the Nordic countries for being a bowl-formed highland. Despite their northern location, the Nordic countries generally have a mild climate compared with other countries that share globally the same latitudes. The climate in

3164-480: Is the longest river of the Jutland peninsula. Holstein is one of the most populated subregions of the Jutland peninsula because of the densely populated area around Hamburg, which in large parts lies in Holstein. Between the Eider and the Danish-German border stretches Southern Schleswig . Notable subregions of Southern Schleswig are the peninsula of Eiderstedt and North Frisia on the North Sea side, and

3277-705: The Ecclesiastical History . This is also supported by the archaeological record, with extensive Jutish finds in Kent from the fifth and sixth centuries . Saxons and Frisii migrated to the region in the early part of the Christian era. To protect themselves from invasion by the Christian Frankish emperors, beginning in the 5th century , the pagan Danes initiated the Danevirke ,

3390-481: The Cimbric Chersonese was the home of Teutons , Cimbri , and Charudes . Many Angles , Saxons and Jutes migrated from Continental Europe to Great Britain starting around 450 AD. The Angles gave their name to the new emerging kingdoms called England (i.e., "Angle-land"). The Kingdom of Kent in south east England is associated with Jutish origins and migration , also attributed by Bede in

3503-590: The Danevirke , runs through Southern Schleswig, overcoming the drainage divide between Baltic ( Schlei ) and North Sea ( Rheider Au ). At the Baltic end of the Danevirke is Hedeby , a former important Viking town. Between the Danish-German border and the Kongeå lies Southern Jutland (the South Jutland County ), historically also known as Northern Schleswig. Northern and Southern Schleswig once formed

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3616-602: The European Free Trade Association (EFTA). All the Nordic countries are however members of the European Economic Area (EEA). Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in the 1990s, Nordic countries began partnerships with newly liberated neighbouring Baltic states ( Estonia , Latvia and Lithuania ) by opening Nordic council of ministers' offices in the three countries. The Baltic Assembly started to work together with

3729-630: The First World War . However, an estimated 5,000 Danes living in North Slesvig were killed serving in the German army. The 1916 Battle of Jutland was fought in the North Sea west of Jutland. Denmark had declared itself neutral, but was invaded and occupied by Nazi Germany within a few hours on 9 April 1940. Scattered fighting took place in South Jutland and in Copenhagen. Sixteen Danish soldiers were killed. Some months before

3842-550: The Geesthacht barrage east of Hamburg , where the tide-dependent estuary of the Elbe begins. Travemünde → Trave → Wakenitz → Ratzeburger See →Kleiner Küchensee→Großer Küchensee→Schaalsee canal→Salemer See→Pipersee→Phulsee→ Schaalsee → Schaale → Sude → Elbe at Boizenburg →beginning of the estuary of the Elbe at the Geesthacht barrage Lauenburg is the southeasternmost area of Schleswig-Holstein . It exists administratively as

3955-508: The Geesthacht barrage east of Hamburg , which is defined as the point where the Lower Elbe ( Unterelbe ) and the estuary of the Elbe, that are subject to the tides, begin. The part of the Baltic Sea the peninsula is bounded by is referred to as da:Bælthavet in Danish and de:Beltsee in German, a designation deriving from the Great , Little , and Fehmarn belts, while the Baltic Sea as

4068-514: The German minority openly sided with Germany and volunteered for German military service. While some Danes initially feared a border revision, the German occupational force did not pursue the issue. In a judicial aftermath after the end of the war, many members of the German minority were convicted, and German schools were confiscated by Danish authorities. There were some instances of Danish mob attacks against German-minded citizens. In December 1945,

4181-710: The Germanic people that would later relate to the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the emergence of Medieval Europe . However, these acquired the Latin culture of Rome . The Nordic countries first came into more permanent contact with the rest of Europe during the Viking Age . Southern Finland and northern parts of Sweden and Norway were areas where the Vikings mostly only traded and had raids, whilst

4294-745: The Kattegat , and Als at the rim of the Baltic Sea , are administratively and historically tied to Jutland, although the latter two are also regarded as traditional districts of their own. Inhabitants of Als, known as Alsinger , would agree to be South Jutlanders, but not necessarily Jutlanders. The largest North Sea islands off the Jutish coast are the Danish Wadden Sea Islands including Rømø , Fanø , and Mandø in Denmark, and

4407-533: The Lauenburg Lakes Nature Park . Hamburg is its own city-state and does not belong to Schleswig-Holstein. The north elbish districts of Hamburg that are on the Jutland peninsula are historically part of the region of Stormarn . The former border rivers of Stormarn are the Stör and Krückau in the northwest, the Trave and Bille in the east, and the Elbe in the south. There exists also

4520-729: The Mid Jutland Region and the North Jutland Region as well as the Capital Region of Denmark are located in the north of Denmark which is rising because of post-glacial rebound . Some circular depressions in Jutland may be remnants of collapsed pingos that developed during the Last Ice Age . Jutland has historically been one of the three lands of Denmark , the other two being Scania and Zealand . Before that, according to Ptolemy , Jutland or

4633-432: The North Frisian Islands including Sylt , Föhr , Amrum and Pellworm in Germany. On the German islands, some North Frisian dialects are still in use. Administratively, the Jutland peninsula belongs to three German states and three Danish regions: The ten largest cities on the Jutland peninsula are: Aarhus , Silkeborg , Billund , Randers , Kolding , Horsens , Vejle , Fredericia and Haderslev , along with

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4746-405: The North Jutlandic Island (Danish: Nørrejyske Ø or Vendsyssel-Thy ). Northern Jutland is traditionally subdivided into South Jutland ( Sydjylland ), West Jutland ( Vestjylland ), East Jutland ( Østjylland ), and North Jutland ( Nordjylland ). More recent is the designation Central Jutland ( Midtjylland ) for parts of traditionally West and East Jutish areas. Subregions of Northern Jutland include

4859-409: The North Jutlandic Island . The storm breach of Agger Tange created the Agger Channel, and another storm in 1862 created the Thyborøn Channel close by. The channels made it possible for ships to shortcut the Skagerrak Sea . The Agger Channel closed up again over the years, due to natural siltation , but the Thyborøn Channel widened and was fortified and secured in 1875. Denmark was neutral during

4972-505: The Protestant Reformation , the main religion became Lutheran Christianity , the state religion of several Nordic countries. 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 North Germanic languages , Finno-Ugric languages and Eskimo–Aleut languages . Danish , Norwegian and Swedish are considered mutually intelligible , and they are

5085-416: The Russian invasion of Ukraine , Finland joined NATO in 2023 as did Sweden a year later. The Nordic countries and self-governing regions in alphabetic order – number of inhabitants (2018), area (km ) and population density (people/km ): Denmark is by far the most densely populated country, whilst Sweden, Norway and Finland are low populated and similar to each other from this perspective. Iceland has both

5198-406: The Schengen Area and only a national ID card is required. Within the Nordic area any means of proving one's identity, e.g. a driving licence , is valid for Nordic citizens because of the Nordic Passport Union. When traveling to other countries than the Nordics, public officials in the foreign services of any of the Nordic countries are to assist citizens of another Nordic country if that country

5311-413: The Treaty of Brömsebro in 1645 Denmark–Norway had to cede some of their territories, including Norwegian territories Jemtland , Herjedalen and Idre and Serna , as well as the Danish Baltic Sea islands of Gotland and Ösel . The Thirty Years' War thus began the rise of Sweden as a great power , while it marked the start of decline for the Danish. To some extent in the 16th century and certainly in

5424-423: The common market as in the EU have been implemented decades before the EU implemented them. Intra-Nordic trade is not covered by the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG), but by local law. The Nordic countries have cooperated closely in the administrative and consular fields since the Nordic Passport Union was established and the Helsinki Treaty concluded. According to

5537-439: The 11th century, three northern kingdoms emerged in the region: Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Iceland first became a commonwealth before it came under Norwegian rule in the early 13th century. There were several secular powers who aimed to bring Finland under their rule, but through the Second and Third Swedish Crusade in the latter part of 13th and through the colonisation of some coastal areas of Finland with Christian Swedes,

5650-428: The 17th, the Nordic region played a major role in European politics at the highest level. The struggle for dominion over the Baltic Sea and its trading opportunities raged between Denmark–Norway and Sweden, which began to impact upon the neighbouring nations. Sweden prevailed in the long term and became a major European power as it extended its reach into coastal tracts in modern-day Russia, Estonia, Latvia, and – following

5763-410: The 1800s. This growth was not caused by an increase in the fertility rate , but by better nutrition, sanitation, hygiene, and health care services. More children survived, and people lived longer and healthier lives. Combined with falling grain prices on the international markets because of the Long Depression , and better opportunities in the cities due to an increasing industrialisation, many people in

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5876-541: The Axis/Allies conflict and avoided direct hostilities, but in practice it adapted to the wishes of the dominant power – first Germany, later the Allies. However, during the Winter War between Finland and Russia in 1939–1940, Sweden did support Finland and declared itself "non combatant" rather than neutral. Compared with large parts of Europe, the Nordic region got off lightly during the World War II, which partially explains its strong post-war economic development. The labour movement – both trade unions and political parties –

5989-399: The Baltic and the North Sea, canals were built across the Jutland Peninsula, including the Eider Canal in the late 18th century, and the Kiel Canal , completed in 1895 and still in use. In 1825, a severe North Sea storm on the west coast of Jutland breached the isthmus of Agger Tange in the Limfjord area, separating the northern part of Jutland from the mainland and effectively creating

6102-412: The Cimbric Peninsula or Cimbrian Peninsula ( Latin : Cimbricus Chersonesus ; Danish: den Cimbriske Halvø or den Jyske Halvø ; German: Kimbrische Halbinsel or Jütische Halbinsel ). The names are derived from the Jutes and the Cimbri , respectively. The Jutland peninsula reaches from the sandbar spit of Grenen on the North Jutlandic Island in the north, to the banks of the Elbe in

6215-399: The East Jutish cultural area. A new meaning of Central Jutland is the entire area between North and South Jutland, corresponding roughly to the Central Jutland Region . While the term Northern Jutland (Danish: Nørrejylland ) refers to the whole region between Kongeå and Grenen , North Jutland (Danish: Nordjylland ) only refers to the northernmost part of Northern Jutland, and encompasses

6328-411: The Elbe in the south to the Eider in the north. Subregions of Holstein are Dithmarschen on the North Sea side, Stormarn at the centre, and Wagria on the Baltic side. There is an area in Holstein called Holstein Switzerland because of its comparable higher hills. The largest amount of lakes on the Jutland peninsula can be found in Holstein, the ten largest lakes being the Großer Plöner See (which

6441-437: The Faroe Islands and Greenland, which had been re-colonised in the 18th century, became Danish. Population growth and industrialisation brought change to the Nordic countries during the 19th century and new social classes steered political systems towards democracy. International politics and nationalism also created the preconditions for the later independence of Norway in 1905 , Finland in 1917 and Iceland in 1944 . During

6554-570: The Faroe Islands and Greenland. The Finnish Eduskunta has 200 seats, including one seat for Åland. The Icelandic Althing has 63 seats, the Norwegian Storting 169 seats and the Swedish Riksdag 349 seats. The Faroese Løgting has 32 seats, Greenland's Inatsisartut 31 seats and Åland's Lagtinget 30 seats. Nordic citizens – and in the three member countries of the EU also EU citizens – living in another Nordic country are normally entitled to vote in local government elections after three months of residence, while other foreign citizens have to reside in

6667-417: The Helsinki Treaty, public officials in the foreign services of any of the Nordic countries are to assist citizens of another Nordic country if that country is not represented in the territory concerned. Nordic cooperation is based on the Helsinki Treaty. Politically, Nordic countries do not form a separate entity, but they cooperate in the Nordic Council and the Nordic Council of Ministers . The council

6780-399: The Nordic Council to form the Nordic-Baltic Eight in 1992, while big Baltic companies were bought by Nordic companies in sectors such as banking or telecommunications. In 1999, Estonia started to promote its Nordic heritage (see Nordic identity in Estonia ) while government of Sweden expressed regrets regarding the deportation of Estonian and Latvian soldiers to USSR in 1946. Following

6893-401: The Nordic countries are members of NATO. The Nordic foreign and security policy cooperation became closer and expanded its scope in 2014. The Nordic Council of Ministers is responsible for inter-governmental cooperation. Prime ministers have ultimate responsibility, but this is usually delegated to the Minister for Nordic Cooperation and the Nordic Committee for Co-operation, which coordinates

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7006-446: The Nordic countries are situated on the southern parts of the region, with the exception of Reykjavík , the capital of Iceland. Helsinki , Oslo and Stockholm are all close to the same latitude as the southernmost point of Greenland, Egger Island ( Itilleq ): about 60°N . All of Denmark and most of Finland lie below 200 m and the topography of both is relatively flat. In Denmark, moraines and tunnel valleys add some relief to

7119-444: The Nordic countries for three to four years before they are eligible to vote. In Denmark and the Faroe Islands, the percentage turn-out at elections is close to 90% per cent, but it is only about 67% in Åland and Finland. Men are more often elected to the national assembly compared to women. The biggest bias between the two sexes is seen in the Faroe Islands and Åland, while in Sweden men and women are close to being equally represented in

7232-471: The Nordic countries include the Norwegian fjords , the Archipelago Sea between Finland and Sweden, the extensive volcanic and geothermal activity of Iceland , and Greenland, which is the largest island in the world. The southernmost point of the Nordic countries is Gedser , on the island of Falster in Denmark. The northernmost point is Kaffeklubben Island in Greenland, which is also the northernmost point of land on Earth. The largest cities and capitals of

7345-415: The Nordic countries is mainly influenced by their northern location, but remedied by the vicinity to the ocean and the Gulf Stream which brings warm ocean currents from the tip of Florida. Even far to the north, the winters can be quite mild, though north of the Polar Circle the climate zone is mostly subarctic with harsh winters and short summers. In Greenland and Svalbard the climate is polar. The sea has

7458-485: The Nordic countries' borders without having their passport checked, but still have to carry some sort of approved travel identification documents. During the 2015 European migrant crisis , temporary border controls were set up between Denmark and Sweden to control the movement of refugees into Sweden. Since 1996, these countries have been part of the larger EU directive Schengen Agreement area, comprising 30 countries in Europe. Border checkpoints have been removed within

7571-445: 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

7684-499: The Nordic region was politically united in the loose Kalmar Union . Diverging interests and especially Sweden's dissatisfaction over the Danish dominance gave rise to a conflict that hampered the union from the 1430s onward until its final dissolution in 1523. After the dissolution Denmark and Norway, including Iceland, formed a personal union of the two kingdoms called Denmark–Norway whilst the successful period of Vasa Kings began in Sweden and Finland. The Lutheran Reformation played

7797-408: The Swedish rule was gradually established in the region. During the Middle Ages , increased trade meant that the Nordic countries became increasingly integrated into Europe and Nordic society became more Continental . The monarchies strengthened their positions in the 12th and 13th centuries through imposing taxes on peasants and a class of nobles also emerged. By the Late Middle Ages, the whole of

7910-430: The Thirty Years' War – also into Pomerania and other North German areas. Sweden also conquered vast areas from Denmark–Norway during the Northern Wars in the middle of the 17th century. Sweden also had several conflicts with Russia over Finland and other eastern areas of the country and after the Great Northern War (1700–1721) Sweden lost most of its territories outside the old Swedish border to Russia which then became

8023-400: 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: Norga Italics indicates

8136-591: The countries are among the wealthiest worldwide and there is little social unrest. In 2015, Save the Children ranked the Nordic countries as number 1–5 of countries where mothers and children fare the best (among 179 countries studied). Nordic parliaments are all based on a one-chamber system . The Norwegian parliament, the Storting , did actually function as two separate chambers until 2009 when dealing with certain issues. The Icelandic Althing , founded in 930 AD,

8249-537: The countryside relocated to larger towns or emigrated. In the later half of the century, around 300,000 Danes, mainly unskilled labourers from rural areas, emigrated to the US or Canada. This amounted to more than 10% of the then total population, but some areas had an even higher emigration rate. In 1850, the largest Jutland towns of Aalborg, Aarhus and Randers had no more than about 8,000 inhabitants each; by 1901, Aarhus had grown to 51,800 citizens. To speed transit between

8362-600: The day-to-day work. The autonomous territories have the same representation as states. The Nordic countries share an economic and social model, which involves the combination of a market economy with a welfare state financed with heavy taxes. The welfare states were largely developed by strong social democrat parties and in Finland with cooperation with the Agrarian League . Although the specifics differ between countries and there are ongoing political arguments, there

8475-525: The district of Herzogtum Lauenburg ( Duchy of Lauenburg ), the surface of which is equal to the territory of the former Duchy of Saxe-Lauenburg , which historically did not belong to Holstein. The Duchy of Lauenburg existed since 1296, and when it was absorbed by the Kingdom of Prussia and became part of the Prussian Province of Schleswig-Holstein in 1876, the new district was allowed to keep

8588-501: The east which results in warm and long summers and clear and cold winters, often with snow. For example, Bergen at the west coast of Norway normally has a temperature above zero in February while Helsinki in Finland normally will have a temperature of 7–8 °C below zero during the same month. Climatic conditions and quality of land have determined how land is used in the Nordic countries. In densely populated mainland Denmark there

8701-460: The farmers of Western Jutland were mostly free owners of their own land or leasing it from the Crown, although under frugal conditions. Most of the less fertile and sparsely populated land of Western Jutland was never feudalised. East Jutland was more similar to Eastern Denmark in this respect. The north–south ridge forming the border between the fertile eastern hills and sandy western plains has been

8814-554: The fjord from the North Sea . Just northeast of Nymindegab lies the bird reservation of Tipperne on a peninsula in Ringkøbing Fjord. In Nymindegab there is a Nymindegab Museum , where one can see, among other things, a whale skeleton, pictures from the area, and nature depicted by artists who have remained in the area over time. At Nymindegab Rescue Station one can see Denmark's oldest lifeboat , which from 1966

8927-468: The home-rule ( hjemmestyre ) territory of the Faroe Islands and the self-rule ( selvstyre ) territory of Greenland . The Nordic countries have a combined area of around 3.5 million square kilometres and their geography is extremely varied. The area is so vast that it covers five time zones . To the east the region borders Russia, and on the west the Canadian coastline can be seen from Greenland on

9040-600: The homestead dialect. Many of these writers are often referred to as the Jutland Movement , artistically connected through their engagement with public social realism of the Jutland region. The Golden Age painters also found inspiration and motives in the natural beauty of Jutland, including P. C. Skovgaard , Dankvart Dreyer , and art collective of the Skagen Painters . Writer Evald Tang Kristensen (1843-1929) collected and published extensive accounts on

9153-461: The invasion, Germany had considered only occupying the northern tip of Jutland with Aalborg airfield, but Jutland as a whole was soon regarded as of high strategic importance. Work commenced on extending the Atlantic Wall along the entire west coast of the peninsula. Its task was to resist a potential allied attack on Germany by landing on the west coast of Jutland. The Hanstholm fortress at

9266-418: The landscape while in Finland the surroundings of lakes Pielinen and Päijänne display some moderate relief. The Finnish area just east of Bothnian Bay stands out as the largest plain in the Nordic countries. The Scandinavian Mountains dominate the landscape of Norway. The southern part of the Scandinavian Mountains is broader than the northern one and contains higher peaks. The southern part contains also

9379-726: The largest part of Himmerland , the northernmost part of Crown Jutland ( Kronjylland ), the island of Mors ( Morsø ), and Jutland north of the Limfjord (the North Jutlandic Island , which is subdivided into the regions of Thy , Hanherred , and Vendsyssel , the northernmost region of Jutland and Denmark). Nordjylland is congruent with the North Jutland Region ( Region Nordjylland ). The largest Kattegat and Baltic islands off Jutland are Funen , Als , Læsø , Samsø , and Anholt in Denmark, as well as Fehmarn in Germany. The islands of Læsø , Anholt , and Samsø in

9492-485: The life of everybody: education is free, healthcare has zero or nominal fees in most cases, most children go to municipal day care, etc. The Nordic model is distinguished from other types of welfare states by its emphasis on maximising labour force participation, promoting gender equality, egalitarian and extensive benefit levels, the large magnitude of income redistribution and liberal use of expansionary fiscal policy. Trade unions are strong. The model has been successful:

9605-523: The local rural Jutlandic folklore through many interviews and travels across the peninsula, including songs, legends, sayings and everyday life. Nordic countries 2 autonomous territories 1 autonomous region 2 unincorporated areas 1 dependency 2 Antarctic claims The Nordic countries (also known as the Nordics or Norden ; lit.   ' the North ' ) are

9718-411: The lowest population and by far the lowest population density. But large areas in Finland, Norway and Sweden, like most of Iceland, are unpopulated. There are no such areas in Denmark. Denmark has a population density around continental average, higher than for instance France and Poland but lower when compared to the United Kingdom, Italy or Germany. Finland, Norway and Sweden has a population density that

9831-589: 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

9944-554: The mouth of the de:Schaalseekanal into lake Großer Küchensee, from there along the canal through lakes Salemer See, Pipersee and Phulsee to lake Schaalsee , on from Zarrentin am Schaalsee along the outflow of lake Schaalsee, the Schaale , until its mouth into the Sude at Teldau , then along the Sude until its confluence with the Elbe at Boizenburg , and further on along the Elbe, until

10057-488: The name "duchy" in its name as a reminiscence to its ducal past, and today it is the only district in Germany with such a designation. The region is named for its former capital, the town of Lauenburg on the Elbe , but its seat is now at Ratzeburg . Lauenburg is crossed by the Elbe–Lübeck Canal , that connects the Elbe at Lauenburg to the Baltic at Lübeck, and there are over 50 lakes in the area, many of which are part of

10170-472: The national assembly. The Nordic Passport Union, created in 1954 and implemented on 1 May 1958, allows citizens of the Nordic countries: Denmark (Faroe Islands included since 1 January 1966, Greenland not included), Sweden, Norway (Svalbard, Bouvet Island and Queen Maud Land not included), Finland and Iceland (since 24 September 1965) to cross approved border districts without carrying and having their passport checked. Other citizens can also travel between

10283-685: The new major power in Northern Europe. After the Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815), the political map of the Nordic countries altered again. In 1809, Finland was conquered by Russian Empire from Sweden in the Finnish War , after which Finland became the autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland . In turn, Sweden captured Norway from Denmark in 1814 in the Swedish–Norwegian War and started a Union between Sweden and Norway . Iceland,

10396-416: The northwestern promontory of Jutland became the largest fortification of Northern Europe. The local villagers were evacuated to Hirtshals . Coastal areas of Jutland were declared a military zone where Danish citizens were required to carry identity cards, and access was regulated. The small Danish airfield of Aalborg was seized as one of the first objects in the invasion by German paratroopers. The airfield

10509-521: The peninsula after the last Ice Age, some 12,000 years ago. The local culture of Jutland commoners before industrial times was not described in much detail by contemporary texts. It was generally viewed with contempt by the Danish cultural elite in Copenhagen who perceived it as uncultivated, misguided or useless. While the peasantry of eastern Denmark was dominated by the upper feudal class , manifested in large estates owned by families of noble birth and an increasingly subdued class of peasant tenants,

10622-527: The peninsulas of Danish Wahld , Schwansen , and Anglia on the Baltic side. There is a considerable North Frisian minority in North Frisia , and North Frisian is an official language in the region. In Anglia and Schwansen on the other hand, there exist indigenous Danish minorities, with Danish being the second official language there. The Danish Wahld once formed a border forest between Danish and Saxon settlements. A system of Danish fortifications,

10735-574: The peninsulas of Djursland with Mols , and Salling . Also in Northern Jutland is the Søhøjlandet , which is the highest elevated Danish region, and at the same time, the region with the highest density of lakes in Denmark. Denmark's longest river, the Gudenå , flows through Northern Jutland. South Jutland ( Sydjylland ) is the southernmost part of Northern Jutland. It is not to be confused with Southern Jutland ( Sønderjylland ), which

10848-414: The permanent settlements of Vikings in the Nordic region were in southern Norway and Sweden, Denmark and Faroes as well as parts of Iceland, Greenland and Estonia . Christian Europe responded to the raids and conquest of Vikings with intensive missionary work. The missionaries wanted the new territories to be ruled by Christian kings who would help to strengthen the church. After conversion to Christianity in

10961-545: 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. The term Nordic countries found mainstream use after

11074-672: 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

11187-550: The relative representation of the political parties in those parliaments. It holds its main session in the autumn, while a so-called "theme session" is arranged in the spring. Each of the national delegations has its own secretariat in the national parliament. The autonomous territories – Greenland, the Faroe Islands and Åland – also have Nordic secretariats. The Council does not have any formal power on its own, but each government has to implement any decisions through its country's legislative assembly. All of

11300-418: The remaining part of the German minority issued a declaration of loyalty to Denmark and democracy, renouncing any demands for a border revision. Up until the industrialisation of the 19th century, most people in Jutland lived a rural life as farmers and fishers. Farming and herding have formed a significant part of the culture since the late Neolithic Stone Age , and fishing ever since humans first populated

11413-512: The south. The peninsula is also called the Cimbric peninsula . Jutland as a cultural-geographical term mostly only refers to the Danish part of the peninsula, from Grenen to the Danish-German border. Sometimes, the northern part of Schleswig-Holstein down to the Eider ( Southern Schleswig ), is also included in the cultural-geographical definition of Jutland, because the Eider was historically

11526-470: The southern border of Denmark and the cultural and linguistic boundary between the Nordic countries and Germany from c. 850 to 1864. In Denmark, the term Jylland can refer both to the whole peninsula and to the region between Grenen and either the Danish-German border or the Eider. In Germany, however, the peninsula as a whole is only referred to as Kimbrische Halbinsel or Jütische Halbinsel , while

11639-571: The term Jütland is reserved solely for the cultural-geographical definition of Jutland. The Jutland peninsula is bounded by the North Sea to the west, the Skagerrak to the north, the Kattegat to the northeast, and the Baltic Sea to the southeast. The peninsula's Kattegat and Baltic coastline stretches from Grenen down to the mouth of the Trave in Lübeck - Travemünde , and its Skagerrak and North Sea coastline runs from Grenen until down to

11752-412: The term has been used in and around Viborg , so that the people of Viborg could differentiate themselves from the populations to the east and west. The majority of what is today called Central Jutland is actually the traditional West Jutish culture and dialect area, i.e. Herning , Skive , Ikast , and Brande . By contrast, Silkeborg and the other areas east of the Jutish ridge are traditionally part of

11865-459: The territory of the former Duchy of Schleswig . The region is called Sønderjyllands Amt in Danish, and it is regarded as the northern part of Sønderjylland , which refers to the combined territory of Northern and Southern Schleswig. Northern Jutland is the region between the Kongeå and Jutland's northernmost point, the Grenen spit. In Danish, it is called Nørrejylland , and also encompasses

11978-554: The two world wars and the Cold War , the five small Nordic states were forced into difficult balancing acts, but retained their independence and developed peaceful democracies. The Nordic states had been neutral during World War I , but during World War II they could no longer stand apart from world politics. The Soviet Union attacked Finland in 1939 and Finland ceded territory following the Winter War . In 1941, Finland launched

12091-664: The whole peninsula to reach the Baltic, the Kiel Canal , the world's busiest artificial waterway, that crosses the peninsula in the south, has been constructed. Jutland is connected to Funen by the Old and New Little Belt Bridge , and Funen in turn is connected to Zealand and Copenhagen by the Great Belt Bridge . Jutland is known by several different names, depending on the language and era, including German : Jütland [ˈjyːtlant] ; Old English : Ēota land [ˈeːotɑˌlɑnd] , known anciently as

12204-513: 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 3,425,804 square kilometres (1,322,710 sq mi). Uninhabitable ice caps and glaciers comprise about half of this area, mainly Greenland. In September 2021,

12317-660: Was an important political presence throughout the Nordic countries in the 20th century. The big social democratic parties became dominant and after World War II the Nordic countries began to serve as a model for the welfare state. Economically, the five Nordic countries were strongly dependent on foreign trade and so they positioned themselves alongside the big trading blocks. Denmark was the first to join European Economic Community (EEC) in 1972 and after it became European Union (EU) in 1993 Finland and Sweden also joined in 1995. Norway and Iceland are members of

12430-781: Was established after World War II and its first concrete result was the introduction of a Nordic Passport Union in 1952. This resulted in a common labour market and free movement across borders without passports for the countries' citizens. In 1971, the Nordic Council of Ministers, an intergovernmental forum, was established to complement the council. The Nordic Council and the Council of Ministers have their headquarters in Copenhagen and various installations in each separate country, as well as many offices in neighbouring countries. The headquarters are located at Ved Stranden No. 18, close to Slotsholmen. The Nordic Council consists of 87 representatives, elected from its members' parliaments and reflecting

12543-528: Was forced to cover most of the cost. After the war, the remaining German prisoners of war were recruited to perform extensive mine clearance of 1.4 million mines along the coast. Many of the seaside bunkers from World War II are still present at the west coast. Several of the fortifications in Denmark have been turned into museums, including Tirpitz Museum in Blåvand, Bunkermuseum Hanstholm , and Hirtshals Bunkermuseum . In Southern Jutland, parts of

12656-570: Was kept at the National Museum of Denmark in Copenhagen , but was returned to Nymindegab in 1977. 55°49′N 8°11′E  /  55.817°N 8.183°E  / 55.817; 8.183 Jutland Jutland's geography is flat, with comparatively steep hills in the east and a barely noticeable ridge running through the center. West Jutland is characterised by open lands, heaths , plains, and peat bogs , while East Jutland

12769-603: Was significantly expanded by the Germans in order to secure their traffic to Norway, and more airfields were built. Danish contractors and 50,000–100,000 workers were hired to fulfill the German projects. The alternative for workers was to be unemployed or sent to work in Germany. The fortifications have been estimated to be the largest construction project ever performed in Denmark at a cost of then 10 billion kroner, or 300-400 billion DKK today (45-60 billion USD or 40-54 billion euro in 2019). The Danish National Bank

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