That said, beards are currently fairly popular in the Nordics, as they were during the Viking Age (when insulting another mans beard could lead to death). 1. Scandinavian languages, also called North Germanic languages, group of Germanic languages consisting of modern standard Danish, Swedish, Norwegian (Dano-Norwegian and New Norwegian), Icelandic, and Faroese. Located in the Scandinavian region between the Northern Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, Norway covers around 125,020 square miles of landscape. Norway Try to keep this in mind in your dealings with anyone from Sweden. Is the origin of this theory SVTs The first Swedes ? The Swedish-speaking Finns or Finland-Swedes form a minority group in Finland. Swedish design techniques have left their impact on the planet. So, where does the controversy about Scandinavian countries come in? In 2010, when Crown Princess Victoria and her partner, Daniel, got married, it was one of the largest royal events ever held. This makes them the second-rarest color (behind green), and that is what is so enticing about them. Did you know that Alfred Nobel (for whom the Nobel Prize is named) was Swedish? 20-40,000), Finland (8,000), and the Kola Peninsula of Russia (2,000), with the majority of them living in the first two nations. The amount of curly-haired people in the Nordics is furthermore a much lesser part of the population compared to the rest of Europe. Much of that protein comes from an animal protein diet, and this is believed to contribute to the height of people who live there. Do Scandinavians have a lot of body hair? Food Below the neck, this body hair is generally concentrated on the arms and legs in the Nordics. Especially people from the US or Southern countries feel repelled by . So What Do Scandinavian People Actually Look Like? These are Swedish genetic traits that have existed in the population for a long time and will likely continue to exist in the population of this geographic area for a long time. Are Scandinavians seen as unusually attractive? Additionally, unlike many cultures around the world, Scandinavian people will avoid arguments at all costs. So, what can we learn from Scandinavian people? As weve established, most Nordic people today have brightly colored eyes, with some areas reaching up to 80% of the population (P. Frost 2006). Sweden is so opposed to war that they will sometimes send their own people to areas where there is conflict to teach them about the benefits of avoiding war. You will be surprised how accurate it is! Europe had been split up into smaller sub-regions, as these countries are among the tallest in the world. Some regions have more than 10% redheads, while others only have around 1-3%. One of the key characteristics of Swedish culture is that Swedes are egalitarian in nature, humble and find boasting absolutely unacceptable. Specifically, the number of women in Swedens parliament has been roughly half of the entire parliament for many years now. They dont like to rush anything. Its about giving more balance back to the employment world. Sweden is bordered by Finland to the east, and Norway to the west, sitting on the Gulf of Bothnia and the Baltic Sea. Read Article Now. Do Scandinavians have a lot of facial hair? In Scandinavian regions, everyone expects everyone else to perform to the same standard. . The study shows the genetic history of Scandinavia was influenced by foreign genes from Asia and Southern Europe . 20+ Swedish Stereotypes (And Whether They're True!) This crossword clue was last seen on February 21 2023 LA Times Crossword puzzle. The IceHotel is an area in the north of the country where temperatures are very low throughout most of the year and permafrost exists. The Scandinavian Personality Traits have been under investigation since the late 1800's. There have been multiple publications that have looked at how the Scandinavian Personality Traits are prevalent as much as the light hair and light eyes are prevalent in people with heritage in this region of Europe. The project . It is common to add a cinnamon roll (kanelbullar) to the experience. How Nordics and Scandinavians see each other, an article where I go into detail about Viking traits and looks, which languages each Nordic nationality actually uses when communicating with fellow Nordics, how Vikings actually looked (how big they were, how they wore their hair, where they came from, their hair and eye color, etc. During the Viking Age, DNA analysis of skeletal remains suggests that the majority of Danish Vikings had red hair, so it seems to have been a prevalent trait in the region for a long time. I don't know why people assume you must be blond to have Scandinavian heritage, and we should stop perpetuating that assumption. Viking identity was not limited to people with Scandinavian genetic ancestry. Of course, most famously, the band ABBA is from Sweden, and they were a big hit throughout the world. Here is a look at some notable Swedish people who made significant contributions to their fields and made their country proud. You shouldnt come on too strong when you first meet someone from Sweden. A possible explanation is that the Viking settlements in the northeast coast of the . Whether youre exploring the frozen fjords or hiking along one of Denmarks incredible nature paths, the opportunities for breath-taking scenery are endless. The country continues to take the lead on issues such as creating sustainable sources of energy and working towards including more women in positions of power. When it comes to writing, there are two different versions of written Norwegian; Bokml and Nynorsk. Furthermore, it has been observed that northern Europeans in general also have a much higher frequency of a specific genetic trait that is linked to straight hair. 4. Please read our. The largest city in Sweden is Stockholm, which is located on the eastern coast of the country. Despite great progress on issues such as social equality, the Swedish people are not known for being boastful. Although many visitors prefer to seek out warmer Scandinavian weather when they can, theres a magic to the countries in winter too. Contents show. The population of Finland is around 5,542,517 people making it a relatively small country. One of the Swedish characteristics that people sometimes take for granted is how humble they are as a people. Culture Research done into the DNA of the Irish has shown that our old understanding of where the population of Ireland originated may have been misguided. High cheekbones werent always seen as a positive trait in the Nordic region though, as it was fairly common for the Germanic Scandinavians to look down upon the Finno-Ugric Samis as less civilized, at least up until the late 20th century. but for many Swedes, this is something that they consider necessary in order to brace themselves for a major social gathering. Overall, the scientists found that people who lived in Scandinavia exhibited high levels of non-Scandinavian ancestry, pointing to a continuous exchange of genetic information across the broader . They believe that taking care of their own problems means that they wont have to bother anyone else with them. The Scandinavian nature in Norway is diverse, with glacial mountain ranges, fertile plains, and rugged coastline all pulled together into a single space. There are two things happening here. Some of the main staples of traditional Scandinavian food include: Scandinavian countries arent always at the top of a persons wish list when it comes to vacations. Join thousands of others and stay up to date with the our latest articles. Fish such as herring, mackerel, and trout are rich in protein, omega-3s, and antioxidants, while rich selections of root vegetables and low GI rye bread . Everything you need to know about travelling in Scandinavia. (And the usual caveat for lists like this: not every Swede is going to be identical, nor are they all going to have the exact same personality traits. This article may contain affiliate links. That word is: Fika. The varied and beautiful countries in Scandinavia make it an incredible place to visit or to live in. You can see below for what to perhaps expect the next time you meet a Swede. Of course, Swedes also have many positive personality traits. Popular Post Top Articles Stockholm The dating site isnt active in Iceland so the Icelanders were not part of the survey. Or perhaps it is the fact that they have survived being prepared for the worse, and thus continue to think that way. Swedish peoples characteristics include many noble things, such as honesty. There are a couple of Scandinavian stereotypes valid throughout the region. Often, we think of stereotypes as negative. This is according to genetic research by Medland et al. They are a people who prefer to be left alone until they are ready to engage socially. You can see this every Swedish National Day, when the royal women come out in full Swedish traditional clothing which looks great! Swedes have learned over the years to deal with their own problems on their own terms, and they continue to use this personality trait to help get things done. Your email address will not be published. Studies show that most Scandinavian men are generally able to grow a full beard if they choose to do so, which of course not everyone does. The Scandinavian Hunter-Gatherers lived in the region between 8000 BCE and 2800 BCE, and have been found to have had mixed eye colors (ranging from blue to light-brown), mostly dark hair (with the odd blondes present), and intermediate skin color (somewhere in between dark and light) with the odd light-skinned individual also present. Swedish women are easy to . And thats not even mentioning Roxette, Ace of Base, Avicii, Robyn, Swedish House Mafia, The Cardigans, Europe, Eagle-Eye Cherry Safe to say, we certainly owe the Swedish people a great debt of gratitude for all of the contributions they have made toward the advancement of pop music. While most people belong to the Lutheran Church of Norway, it by no means indicates that they go to church or even believe in a higher power. The lighter hair color isnt genetically unique to this part of the world, but it is one of the Swedish physical characteristics that most people are likely to notice right off the bat. Naturally, I wanted to see if this data held up based on my own experience, so I gathered all the hair and eye colors of 103 family members and friends who currently live in or around Malm, Sweden (one of the more culturally diverse cities in Sweden I should add). Most people from the Nordics have light eyes and hair, and are quite tall compared to other nationalities. Given the location of the country on the globe, the skin tones of people who have lived in the area for centuries have been paler than it is for people in other parts of the world. Scandification 2023. You should NOT take this with offense. He was a Swedish engineer, chemist, and the inventor of dynamite. Scandinavian people do not have a very high prevalence of the EDAR gene, thought to be connected with thicker hair (among other traits). However, when you really get to know the Scandinavian peninsula, youll discover that theres more to the region than you thought. Subscribe to Weird World: http://bit.ly/WeirdWorldSub #vikings #interesting #weirdworld-----. Gods Most of the population lives in small rural towns . Many people are surprised when they receive the results of their genealogical DNA test. Waterfalls cascade across mountainsides while the glaciers stand firm, offering an amazing insight into the sheer power of nature. Scandinavian jokes. First, lets get to grips with the countries in Scandinavia. February 16, 2017 at 8: . Exploring Swedish Culture. When you are eating meals that come later in the day, you may also enjoy some of the local seafood catches or even meat from a reindeer! Of course, these archetypes do not represent all Swedish people in the 21st Century. Movies Lets also look at how Nordic people as a whole compare to people from other regions of the world in height: After adding up the individual country data and calculating a weighted average for each region (i.e. On the other hand, Iceland is found just west of Ireland and southeast of Greenland, just below the Arctic Circle. If you include Finland and Iceland in the Scandinavian Peninsula, they add even more diversity to the landscape. In this a man advises his brother to stick with the prevailing Anglo-Saxon style and not enter into the "Danish fashion", which is described as a reverse "mullet" hairstyle, with . Often, when people imagine the Scandinavian peninsula, they get images of touring mountains and icy cold plains in their mind. Finland is located between Russia and Sweden, to the south of Norway. Blue eyes are not as resistant to sunlight as other colors (such as brown). Read more about that in my article about Viking Looks! For instance, Scandinavian people could leave a baby stroller on the street outside of a store . If youre visiting the west coast of Norway, youll experience a slightly colder coastal climate depending on the time of year. Get some Scandi spirit in your home with our premium museum-quality prints sent right to your doorstep with free shipping worldwide. There are a few theories on why people from Scandinavia, and the Nordics in general, can be light-skinned under low UV conditions (i.e. The next time you notice something about a building that indicates that it has some sustainability features, you should note that you are likely looking at something that has Swedish influence imprinted on it. Another way to avoid conflicts is to not act in a brash way, but instead trying to display oneself as being humble. One thing thats particularly interesting when you look at Scandinavian culture facts is the way that these people approach work. Its worth keeping in mind that Sweden and Norway were part of the same kingdom until 1814 so they have a particularly close relationship. The UK royal family gets all of the press in the United States and many other parts of the world, but Sweden actually has one of the longest-running monarchies in the world. Will heads up Scandifications tech-team, occasionally reviewing the best of Scandinavian tech and design. It may also be a reason why . Swedish personality characteristics include humbleness, open-mindedness, honesty, creativity, quietness, competitiveness, and fairness. Between 1-10% of the population of Scandinavia have red hair according to studies that have mapped out the so-called red hair genes. This goes back to the fact that they are a humble group of people who are not keen on boasting about their accomplishments. It is unlikely that someone in Sweden will have guests over without careful planning ahead of time. Just like with most other countries, the Swedish royalty doesnt hold true political power, but they are the symbolic head of the country regardless. Native to northern Scandinavia, recognized as the oldest indigenous peoples of the North, the Sami people live in four countries. The people from the south had blue eyes and relatively dark skin. If you asked ten different Scandinavian people why theyre so happy, youd probably get ten different answers. ), which may seem out of character for what we know about the people of Sweden, but they seem to love these events regardless. You need to take advantage of all that the country offers and allow yourself to see just how beautiful it is all year long. When it all comes down to it the classic Nordic/Scandinavian stereotype seems to hold true still. So, let's set a few things straight! Not just in the big city of Stockholm, . Rather, humans around the world generally consider reproductive factors such as waist-to-hip ratio and other indicators of fertility and health as attractive, rather than a specific eye/hair/skin color or similar. According to the data, those of Celtic ancestry in Scotland and Cornwall are more similar . The average Viking was 8-10 cm (3-4 inches) shorter than we are today. This continues to cycle through the population as new generations come along, and pale skin remains a defining feature of Swedish people. Sweden is the home of many tall people. The skeletons that the archaeologists have found, reveals, that a man was around 172 cm tall (5.6 ft), and a woman had an average height of 158 cm (5,1 ft). Nordic vs. Scandinavian: Meaning & Usage Explained, Nordic vs. Germanic vs. Celtic: Differences & Links Explained (+ Maps), Im a Nordic native (a Swede with a Finnish mother to be precise) who likes to get nerdy and share first-hand experiences, data-driven resources, and useful guides to help people discover and understand the culture, people, life, sights, design, and history (Vikings anyone?) Although it isnt exactly common with Epicanthic folds among the Swedish population, Swedes with Sami heritage (famous examples include Jens Byggmark, Anja Prson and Ingemar Stenmark), and from the northern parts in general, have higher rates of Epicanthic eye folds. Music Bokml is more widely used by about 85 percent of Norwegians. It is also not as though all Dutch people look like twins. Another wave of migrants came into Scandinavia around 4800 years ago from the Russian steppes, originating from the northern shores of the Black sea and commonly called the Western Steppe Herders. The Scandinavian peninsula wont give you the sunny beaches and warm weather that you can expect from locations like Morocco or Spain. This way of living is called lagom, and is a large part of Nordic philosophy. Language Not only does Scandinavia have some of the happiest people on the planet, but it also has some of the most appealing landscapes too. Part of the reason for this is that the two regions share a very similar way of life. For Norway and Sweden visit between June and September, when the days are longer, and the weather is slightly warmer. As far as I know, the advanced DNA analysis of skeletal remains scientists can do today has proven to be very reliable (the same scientific method has been used to establish the physical traits of Vikings also, and they seem to agree with written records), and its not so hard to imagine Scandinavians skin adapting from dark to light over a long period of time due to changing sunlight exposure, as we are all descendants of dark-skinned Africans (if we go even further back in time) no matter how light our skin color is today. After all, if youre familiar with facts about Scandinavia, then youll know that all of the countries in the peninsula love their food.