Scandinavia

[[File:Scandinavian States.svg|right|thumb|170px|The areas in red are definitely part of Scandinavia. The areas in orange might be, depending on who you ask.]]
'''Scandinavia''' is a two thousand year old name for a very cold peninsula in northern [[Europe]].  It comprises [[Norway]], [[Sweden]], and [[Denmark]], of which the latter is actually not located on the peninsula at all. [[Iceland]] and at least parts of [[Finland]] are also part of Scandinavia, except when they're not. The definition of Scandinavia might even be stretched to include [[Greenland]], which isn't even geographically in Europe.{{efn|This confusion is by and large due to "Scandinavia" (Denmark/Norway/Sweden) being used where the term "Nordic countries" (Denmark/Finland/Iceland/Norway/Sweden) would be more appropriate, and to add to the confusion [http://www.norden.org/en/nordic-council ''The Nordic Council''] includes [[Greenland]] as well (as an autonomous and self-governing area within the wider [[Denmark|Danish realm]] alongside the Faroe Islands, just like the autonomous Åland Islands is represented separately from [[Finland]] in the NC). The appropriately named webcomic [http://satwcomic.com/how-the-north-works ''Scandinavia and the World'' explains this graphically] as well as what [http://satwcomic.com/nordic-council the NC is ''really'' about].}}

==Political systems==

Scandinavians have large public sectors with [[Nordic model|generous state welfare provision]] including [[universal health care]].  Scandinavians tend to be happy despite harsh northern climate{{efn|[[Denmark]] is considered by some the happiest country in the world.}} and tend to live long.{{efn|The [[Sweden|Swedes]] live longer than the [[British]], [[French]] or [[United States of America|Americans]].}}

==Culture==
<blockquote>Through reviewing the existing studies, theories, and data behind the [[World Happiness Report]], we find that the most prominent explanations [of Nordic happiness] include factors related to the quality of institutions, such as reliable and extensive welfare benefits, low corruption, and well-functioning democracy and state institutions. Furthermore, Nordic citizens experience a high sense of autonomy and freedom, as well as high levels of social trust towards each other, which play an important role in determining life satisfaction. <ref>[https://worldhappiness.report/ed/2020/the-nordic-exceptionalism-what-explains-why-the-nordic-countries-are-constantly-among-the-happiest-in-the-world/ The Nordic Exceptionalism: What Explains Why the Nordic Countries Are Constantly Among the Happiest in the World]</ref></blockquote>
Scandinavians regularly score extremely high in the world happiness index.


{{Aquote|Lo there do I see my father; Lo there do I see my mother and my sisters and my brothers; Lo there do I see the line of my people, back to the beginning. Lo, they do call me, they bid me take my place among them, in the halls of Valhalla, where the brave may live forever.}} And no, their hats didn't have horns.


Scandinavia has a mainly Germanic culture, but there are some remnants of the indigenous [[Sámi]] (or Laps, if you're hip) up north. Their [[pagan]] culture has nearly been eradicated and partly converted to [[Christianity]]. The result is a bunch of short stature, ill-tempered [[Agnosticism|agnostics]] proficiently wielding wooden cups of cold [[coffee]] and moonshine. That, and some very long knives. In the summer the Lapps dress up in their colorful traditional garments to sell dried reindeer meat and postcards to [[Germany|German]] truck campers.  Public speaking, on the other hand, generally scares the shit out of Scandinavians. If severely stressed, Scandinavia may react by producing vikings, Sami insurgents, heavy water, or [[satanist]]ic [[Heavy metal|metalheads]].

The Finns also bring some [[Russia|Russian]] [[Alcohol|culture]] to the Scandinavian table, provided they're at all a part of Scandinavia.

==External links==
*[http://geography.about.com/library/faq/blqzscandinavia.htm Which countries comprise the region known as Scandinavia?]
*[http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2373556/the_geography_and_culture_of_scandinavia_pg2.html?cat=37 The Geography and Culture of Scandinavia and Its Impact on the Viking Age]

==Notes==
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==References==
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[[Category:Europe]]
[[Category:Geography]]
{{Stub|geography}}

Categories: Europe, Geography