The territory of the countries of the Scandinavian Peninsula and the Baltic, the Jutland Peninsula, the plains of Fennoscandia, the islands of Iceland and Svalbard make up the northern part of Europe. The resident population in these parts is 4% of the inhabitants of the entire European composition, and the area covers 20% of the whole of Europe.
8 small states located on these lands comprise the countries of Northern Europe. Sweden is the largest country of the eight, and Iceland is the smallest. According to the state system, only three countries are constitutional monarchies - Sweden, Norway and Denmark, the rest are republics.
Northern Europe. Member States of the European Union :
- Estonia;
- Denmark;
- Latvia;
- Finland;
- Lithuania;
- Sweden.
Northern European countries - NATO members - Iceland and Norway.
Countries of Northern Europe. Population
Throughout Northern Europe, 52% of men live and 48% of women. In these parts of the world, population density is considered the lowest in Europe and in the densely populated southern regions is no more than 22 people per 1 m2 (in Iceland - 3 people / m2). This is facilitated by the harsh northern climate zone. The territory of Denmark is more evenly populated. The urban part of the North European population is mainly concentrated in the metropolitan areas. The natural growth rate of this area is considered low and is approximately 4%. Most residents profess Christianity - Catholicism or Protestantism.
Northern countries of Europe. Natural resources
Northern European countries have large reserves of natural resources. Iron, copper and 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 extracted on the Svalbard archipelago. The countries of Scandinavia have rich water resources. A large role is played by nuclear power plants and hydroelectric power stations. Iceland uses thermal waters as a source of electricity.
Countries of Northern Europe. Agricultural complex
The agro-industrial complex of the North European countries is fishing, agriculture and livestock. Mostly meat - the dairy direction (in Iceland - sheep breeding) predominates. Among crops, cereals are grown - rye, potatoes, wheat, sugar beets, barley.
Economy
Many indicators of economic development prove that the Nordic countries are leading in the entire global economy. The level of unemployment and inflation, public finances and growth dynamics are significantly different from other European areas. No wonder the North European model of economic growth is recognized as the most attractive in the world community. Many indicators were affected by the efficient use of national resources and foreign policy. The economy of this model is built on quality exported products. This applies to the production of metal products and goods for the pulp and paper, timber industry, machine-building industry, and also ore deposits. The main trading partners of the Nordic countries in foreign trade are the West European countries and the USA. Three quarters of Iceland's export structure is made up of the fishing industry.