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The Nordic Countries
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Scandinavians first made their mark on the outside world during the 9th-11th
centuries, when Vikings wreaked havoc throughout
Europe. Their fast, shallow-draft ships allowed them to conduct raids
against poorly-defended cities and monasteries along coasts and rivers.
Vikings eventually established permanent settlements in Iceland, the British
Isles, Normandy, and Russia. They even crossed the Atlantic, reaching
Greenland in 982 and Newfoundland soon after.
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| In 1397, Queen Margrete of Denmark
— ruler of Norway since 1380 — was elected
regent of Sweden, uniting the three kingdoms under the so-called
Kalmar Union. |
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Opting out of the union in the 16th
century, Sweden soon emerged as a major Baltic power. Norway,
passing to Swedish control in 1814, was granted independence in 1905. |
| During the 19th century,
movements aimed at greater Scandinavian solidarity became increasingly
popular. Denmark, Sweden, and Norway experimented with currency
union between 1873 and 1914. Later efforts included a passport and
customs union, while the Nordic Council was formed to enhance
parliamentary cooperation in 1952. |
| Nevertheless, these five
countries — Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland,
and Iceland — don't always agree. Denmark, Norway, and Iceland are
members of NATO, while Denmark, Sweden, and Finland are in the European
Union. Of these, only Finland has adopted the euro, the EU's common
currency, and Denmark has opted out of several other EU policies. |
Baltic Regional Links
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Russia
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This page was last
updated 08 March 2005.
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