He left Sweden at 19 to explore the world, and stayed abroad for almost 8 yearsduring which he backpacked, worked every job there was, earned a degree from UC Berkeley, and met the future mother of his children. Quiz I love this site, and I dont want to make sound as Im complaining now but I must say that I am very skeptical of the dark-skinned and blue-eyed people who are said to be the first Scandinavians. According to Hofstede Insights, Sweden is a 'feminine society' in which balance, inclusivity and consideration for others are core components of the social structure. Scandinavia before the bronze age had the most genetically diverse population in Europe, with the original darker skinned people being present much longer in Scandinavia compared to the rest of Europe (where the light-skinned farmers pushed away the dark-skinned hunters almost entirely). Oslo Interestingly enough, religion just isn't an issue in Norway. Swedes are also well known for their pessimistic outlook. Located in the Scandinavian region between the Northern Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, Norway covers around 125,020 square miles of landscape. Finland is a Nordic Country with Baltic Finnic Heritage. 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). They know that youll do your best when youre on the job, and then leave work behind you when you return home. The modern Irish population share many genetic similarities with Scottish and Welsh populations, and to a lesser extent the English. The people of Sweden do not want to leave anything to chance when it comes to something like this. The numerous finds of combs show that people combed their hair regularly. country has remained out of all wars since 1814, when Crown Princess Victoria and her partner, Daniel, got married. The country has produced many great scientists and thinkers. 6. Dont mistake this lack of warmth as being anti-social though. Thus, they can potentially spare other people from the potential burden of having to help them out. Scandification explores and celebrates the magic of Scandinavia. They are a global leader in organic agriculture, recycling, and renewable energy. For instance, Scandinavian people could leave a baby stroller on the street outside of a store, and they wouldnt be worried that something would happen to it. ), How the Dutch & Scandinavians Are Connected (Complete Guide), Norse vs. Norwegian vs. Nordic: Differences Explained, Average Height in the Nordics (Data & Graphs), https://kaw.wallenberg.org/forskning/atlas-med-forhistoriskt-dna-ger-ny-bild-av-manniskans-ursprung. The two species met and started having reproductive relationships in modern-day Israel some 60 000 years ago, before ultimately clashing and resulting in the demise of the Neanderthals. Throw in some of their dry, slightly dark humor and youve got a great, hilarious night out. Despite great progress on issues such as social equality, the Swedish people are not known for being boastful. The population of the nation is 337,780, which would make it the smallest of all the Scandinavian countries. Gods & Goddesses 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 . Graphs And in a budding romantic relationship, they don't wait for the other person to make a move: they send the first text, ask the person out on a date, or talk openly about marriage. Scandification 2023. But sometimes it can be fun to discuss stereotypes some of which may just have an element of truth to them!). It doesnt matter how close the people are to one another relationally, it is not ideal to try to have a spontaneous visit in Sweden. Theres something to be gained from this mindset particularly in the work environment. Even the Vikings were known for bleaching their hair, although the main reason to do so may have been primarily to kill hair lice. Often, we think of stereotypes as negative. If youre curious about how exactly Nordic people communicate with each other, Ive written an article where I go into detail aboutwhich languages each Nordic nationality actually uses when communicating with fellow Nordics. The idea of Jantelov isnt to see yourself as any less than you are but to recognise the inherent value of every individual person. 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. In fact, when it comes to Scandinavian nature, there are a handful of things that you simply have to add to your bucket list. While you may be excited to get to know them and learn more about them, they are unlikely to feel the same, at least in the beginning. Despite their unique roots, nowadays Finns share more cultural traits with the neighboring Scandinavian countries than with their eastern neighbors; for example, Finns have an unshakeable belief in the social welfare system. Except when there's a party (although, please ask first and never wear heels on our nice wooden floors). Most Swedes have blue eyes. We couldnt bring an end to this Scandinavian facts guide without giving you an insight into some of the incredible food youll find in the region. 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. It is unlikely that someone in Sweden will have guests over without careful planning ahead of time. In summary, it seems Scandinavians from before the Viking age looked a bit different from todays Scandis, with multiple migration waves that settled in the region up until the iron age being quite diverse in looks and origins. Scandinavians do have curly hair, but as weve established most of them have wavy or straight hair. Culture Swedish peoples characteristics include many noble things, such as honesty. Theres very little to worry about when living in Scandinavia. When the Battle Axe culture group fused with the groups already present in Scandinavia this eventually spawned the Nordic Bronze Age people, who are seen as the ancestors of all Germanic people. Food Language In fact, one of the traits of Swedish women is a desire to participate in decision-making. is the fact that remaining quiet allows them to take in more information. If youre looking for more of a winter wonderland, the colder weather in Scandinavia runs between December and March. Although the rest of the Nordics generally view Sweden in a positive light still, there has been a slight shift towards more people having a more negative image of Sweden and Swedes lately. So the theory is that on top of any Vitamin D youd get from the sun, Scandinavians have also stocked up on it via their fish intake. Many people are surprised when they receive the results of their genealogical DNA test. Guests are given thermal sleeping bags to help keep themselves comfortable as they sleep in these iceboxes. 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. Only about 8 to 10 percent of the world is believed to have blue eyes. Denmark is home to approximately 5,747,830 people as of the 2018 census. Scandinavian people also have traditionally had a diet rich in protein, fat, and carbs (crucial for significant muscle growth). The Nordic people as a whole really like the Swedes and Norwegians. A possible explanation is that the Viking settlements in the northeast coast of the . Nordic Traits Subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest Nordic resources, insights, tips, hidden gems, and much more. This means Scandinavian hair mostly fall into these categories: So Scandinavian hair color is mostly light in character, but what types of characteristics does Scandi hair have? Their most well-known company is IKEA, and it is a place where design meets functionality in every item that they sell. It was considered a race or one of the putative sub-races into which some late-19th to mid-20th century anthropologists divided the Caucasian race, claiming that its ancestral homelands were Northwestern and Northern Europe, particularly to populations such as Anglo-Saxons, Germanic peoples, Balts, Baltic Finns . Blue eyes are not as resistant to sunlight as other colors (such as brown). Additionally, the same is true for the southern areas in Sweden. For instance, Scandinavian people could leave a baby stroller on the street outside of a store . Ive written an analysis of The Last Kingdom if you want to find out if its worth watching or not. The average Viking was 8-10 cm (3-4 inches) shorter than we are today. He was a Swedish engineer, chemist, and the inventor of dynamite. They reside in Norway (pop 50-65,000), Sweden (pop. You shouldnt come on too strong when you first meet someone from Sweden. English You may also be interested in: Do Swedish People Speak English (So You Can Live There)? The people from the south had blue eyes and relatively dark skin. The physical traits of the Nordics were described as light eyes, light skin, tall stature, and dolichocephalic skull; the psychological traits as truthful, equitable, competitive, naive, reserved, and individualistic. Swedes are humble people, most of them can even be considered as reasonable. When you start to see that everyone seemingly has the same hair color, you are bound to take note of this and mark it down as something interesting and unique about the Swedish people. 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. That said, blue eyes are also rare throughout the world, and that makes them more desirable to many others. Most of the population lives in small rural towns . Many of the Scandinavian countries are becoming increasingly diverse but they remain to be some of the safest places on the planet. If you include Finland and Iceland in your map of the Scandinavian countries, then you should always make time to check out the Aurora Borealis. Lifestyle document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Facts about Scandinavia: Everything you need to know (and more). 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. Scandinavians and other Europeans are tall on average primarily due to a vastly improved diet from the mid-1800s and onwards according to Lars Werdelin, a professor in paleozoology at the Swedish Museum of Natural History. . Vikings vs. Last Kingdom vs. Game of Thrones, Curious how The Last Kingdom compares to Vikings, and how they both compare to Game of Thrones? If youre ready to learn some interesting facts about Scandinavia, lets begin. Very few adult Scandinavians have natural platinum blonde hair, but plenty has achieved this hair color by means of artificial coloring (as in the rest of the world). A Danish CEO has no problem cleaning out coffee cups after work, so a custodian doesnt have to. 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. In Nordic cultures, recognizing others to reward yourself would be terminal. And while theres definitely an element of truth to that, there are other Swedish traits that youll definitely see more of than others when visiting this amazing country. Swedes are accustomed to the cold and dark. However, in Scandinavian countries, when you leave work, you can go home and focus on your personal life its that simple. Either way, we are dealing with theories in the end so all we can do is to look at the data we have available and make the best and most logical assumptions we can. While perhaps not homely in appearance, the women nevertheless possess an edgy, rustic look befitting the harsh living conditions of Scandinavia during the Viking Age. an average adjusted for the population of each country within the region), we can see that the Nordic and Baltic men are the tallest in the world, but as the Baltic ladies are slightly taller (0.5 cm / 0.2 in) than their Nordic sisters, the Baltics narrowly takes the prize as the tallest region in the World in front of the Nordics. 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?) just as you were surprised to see Scandinavian and English DNA. They dont like to rush anything. Second, early Scandinavian ancestors are thought to have been dark-skinned, but after mixing with other populations and adapting to the geographical area this trait eventually disappeared. The terms Scandinavian and Nordic are closely related and often erroneously used interchangeably. Blonde hair, blue eyes. Hooded eyes are prevalent in the Scandinavian population, and studies have shown that about 18 percent of northern Europeans have so-called sagging eyelids (which is related to hooded eyes but more specifically excess skin over your eye that may or may not disrupt your vision). Its not in Scandinavian culture to hold grudges or seek out arguments. You should NOT take this with offense. Now scroll down and see what your feet reveal about your personality. However, people living close to the arctic circle are also exposed to extremely high UV exposure levels during the warmer half of the year (on par with Australia which is notorious for high levels of skin cancer) due to the ozone layer being thinner around the poles. This makes them the second-rarest color (behind green), and that is what is so enticing about them. You need to take advantage of all that the country offers and allow yourself to see just how beautiful it is all year long. A DNA study of Britons has shown that genetically there is not a unique Celtic group of people in the UK. They are self-confident, have enormous hearts with a gentle soul, and strongly believe in looking out for other people. 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. That word is: Fika. The men sport scraggly beards and brutish, battle-worn facial features. Theres no guarantee that it will show on any given night but the colourful lights are visible about 200 nights each year. 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! Especially people from the US or Southern countries feel repelled by . Are Scandinavians and Nordics especially strong? Europe had been split up into smaller sub-regions, as these countries are among the tallest in the world. The largest city in Sweden is Stockholm, which is located on the eastern coast of the country. To an outsider, Scandinavia can seem like a group of small, difficult-to-tell-apart Nordic countries. Theres a lot more to Scandinavian people traits than a Viking or model physique and a great sense of fashion. Their citizens have one of the longest life . Viking identity was not limited to people with Scandinavian genetic ancestry. So other than the color of the eyes, lets look at which other eye characteristics are unique or interesting in the Scandinavian region. Finally, dont forget to take in the Swedish art that dots the landscape throughout the country. It should be noted that human length, in general, is determined by a mixture of nature (genes) and nurture (diet), and there are also regions of the world that are believed to have a taller or shorter average height due to primarily genetic reasonssuch as the short Pygmee people of central Africa, and the tall Dinka people of South Sudan. Common Traits of Scandinavian Women. Scandinavian The IceHotel is literally made of ice and snow and kept at a cool -4 degrees Celsius. When I came to Sweden for the first time I was really blown away by how good looking the people were in this country. Throughout America and England, many employees feel as though they need to be connected to their phone and email 24/7, just in case. When it comes to writing, there are two different versions of written Norwegian; Bokml and Nynorsk. People here don't partake in the rest of the Western world's paranoia that, if you leave your baby's stroller unattended for a second, someone will probably steal it - so they'll routinely just leave it on the pavement while . Todays Scandinavians are about 65%-80% Scandinavian as far as DNA goes, with the rest of the DNA being primarily Finnish, Western European, British, Eastern European, and Irish (all are > 1%). There are a couple of Scandinavian stereotypes valid throughout the region. Keep in mind that its quite chilly, but you can expect slightly warmer temperatures if you move closer towards the inland. Its worth keeping in mind that Sweden and Norway were part of the same kingdom until 1814 so they have a particularly close relationship. But spend a few days in the country and youll definitely start to notice some physical traits appearing more often than others. Scandinavians as a whole are part of a group of ethnicities (along with Finns, English, Irish, Estonians, Latvians, Lithuanians, Polish, Hungarians, and Russians) where the Epicanthic fold is occurring more than in other European populations, but still at a much lower frequency than for example Asian ethnicities. At work, they compete with men for positions. Because we don't like dirt being dragged all over the house. How are Scandinavians (Swedes, Danes, Norwegians) so tall? Data Research surrounding the EDAR gene indicates that Scandinavians (along with most Europeans) generally have thinner hair, than for example East Asians and Native Americans. Ive noticed that surgeons in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark all offer surgery to counteract this condition in case it disrupts your eyesight, or as an elective procedure for cosmetic reasons, and this procedure isnt as commonly seen in other areas of the world. Over 70% of male Scandinavians have some form of body hair (androgenic hair), which is among the highest rates in the world (along with Mediterranean men). One of the best reasons to include Iceland in the Scandinavian region is that it offers some of the most impressive sights in the world. Nordic fall/winter), but also get a darker tan under high UV conditions (i.e. The way that many in Sweden feel about taking care of their own problems is that they have the power to do so. The white cliffs of Mons Klint in Denmark is easily one of the most beautiful places in the world. Scientists are now able to create eerily realistic facial reconstructions, getting us closer than ever to finding out who they were and what the Vikings looked like. In many ways, Swedes prefer to listen to others as opposed to ensuring that their own voice is heard. https://www.svt.se/nyheter/vetenskap/de-var-de-forsta-svenskarna, https://www.myheritage.se/ethnicities/sweden/country-ethnicity-distribution, https://jeffwerner.se/SKIASCOPE+6%20JW%20texts.pdf, https://www.ifau.se/globalassets/pdf/se/2016/r-2016-17-arbetsformedlares-beslutsfattande-och-stereotyper-kopplade-till-utseende.pdf, https://www.thelocal.se/20200918/why-not-all-vikings-were-blond-haired-and-blue-eyed/, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10086866/, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002929709004649#fig1, https://www.wcrf.org/dietandcancer/skin-cancer-statistics/, https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-05/tjnj-ser052314.php, https://academic.oup.com/hmg/article/17/6/835/601141, https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1006616, http://hmg.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/10/16/1701, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2795070/, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World%27s_Strongest_Man, https://www.mynewsdesk.com/se/hotels-com/pressreleases/svenskar-vackrast-i-norden-1015389, https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2015.0211, https://si.se/bilden-av-sverige-i-norden/, https://fof.se/tidning/2015/5/artikel/darfor-blev-vi-plotsligt-langre, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ics.12328, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1474704916631614, https://www.svd.se/samiskt-arv-skulle-doljas, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1473-2165.2007.00333.x. Does Norway use the Euro? This means hotter summer and longer days. One thing thats particularly interesting when you look at Scandinavian culture facts is the way that these people approach work. Hellcat, take your hatred of Americans somewhere else. They may have had a reputation for trade, braids and fearsome raids, but the Vikings were far from a single group of flaxen-haired, sea-faring Scandinavians. You will find plenty of art in the everyday structures of life, and that is how the Swedish people like it. Because the Scandinavian people bring fewer politics into their workplace, the environment feels freer and more comfortable. The two groups that came to Scandinavia were originally genetically quite different, and displayed distinct physical appearances. Of course, not every Swedish person can be lumped into the same categories, but most agree that those traits are typical of the Swedes. Among the Sami people (hailing from Northern Scandinavia), high cheekbones are very common. To sum it up, the average Swedes, Norwegians, Danes, Finns, and Icelanders are all very tall compared to the rest of the world. Blonde hair is highly prized in many parts of the world, but it is merely an everyday thing in Sweden. The region offers plenty of rare plants and places to discover, as well as one of the most incredible beaches youll ever see. You sound like you are jealous of white people. By the way, if you'd like to connect to your inner Scandinavian with some stylish prints and clothing, I've created a collection of high-quality and authentic Nordic posters and apparel. Frequently derided by right-wing politicians as an example of everything wrong with Big . Part of the reason for this is that the two regions share a very similar way of life. Scandinavian women have very clean stances in their professional and personal lives. Genetic links in Icelandic people. You can see the nights sky in ways that you never have before, and the experience is awe-inspiring. Peter Frost also supports this in his study titled European hair and eye color; finding that at least 60% of Scandinavian people have a light head of hair, and at least 50% have light eyes. This can be a Pro or a Con depending on your personal points of view. Popular opinion and mainstream media depict the Vikings in a similar fashion. Sweden is the home of many tall people. Subscribe to Weird World: http://bit.ly/WeirdWorldSub #vikings #interesting #weirdworld-----. The project . Norse Some authorities argue for the inclusion of Finland on geologic and economic grounds and of Iceland and the Faroe Islands on the grounds that their inhabitants speak North Germanic (or Scandinavian) languages . The varied and beautiful countries in Scandinavia make it an incredible place to visit or to live in. Finland 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. Whats more, according to some insights into Scandinavian culture, the countries are also far more committed to health, fitness, and wellness than other regions. 3 The notion of ' folkhemmet ' ('the people's home') is a metaphor for the nation of Sweden as a family household. Malm In fact, a lot of people have a much higher percentage than they expected. The official Scandi countries rank second, third and fourth on the list of the world's tallest people, pipped only by the Dutch. 2. The population of Finland is around 5,542,517 people making it a relatively small country. Because people living in Norway are onto something - 18 things, in fact. At least, some Swedish stereotypes do. A group of some of the most beautiful countries in the world, Scandinavia doesnt just offer amazing travel opportunities. All Scandinavians are wealthy. This makes the workplace environment feel more opened and relaxed. I then categorized the colors as either light or dark: In other words, 85% of my friends and family in southern Scandinavia have light hair (ranging from blonde to light brown), and 75% have light eyes (blue, green, hazel, or grey). It is believed that the Denisovans had certain physical characteristics, including facial features, that people commonly associated with Asian populations. At the same time, DNA testing of remains of ancient Irish people . Sweden Additionally, rather than having to earn the trust and respect of their employers, employees already have those things when they join the team. Check it out if youre curious! The study shows the genetic history of Scandinavia was influenced by foreign genes from Asia and Southern Europe . This warm, mineral-rich pool sits in the middle of an 800-year-old lava field. Denmark They simply find it easier to handle most of their problems on their own and not incorporate other people into the situation if they can avoid it. Sweden has produced many amazing hit pop songs and contributed to many others. Many of the Scandinavian countries are becoming increasingly diverse but they remain to be some of the safest places on the planet. Theres nothing quite like a chilly night watching the snow in Norway or Denmark, for instance. If you look exclusively at the original 3 countries in Scandinavia, then the region covers about 358,325 square miles and is home to approximately 21 million people. These events are simply more carefully planned and coordinated than they are in other countries. Not just in the big city of Stockholm, . It may also be a reason why . Finland covers about 130,558 square miles of land, and its got plenty of beautiful lakes to visit. It is a life experience that you wont be able to forget. Known for its rolling lowlands and beautiful mountains; Sweden is a temperate location with a population of 9,960,095 people. What are typical Swedish characteristics when socializing? All of our knowledge about pre-Viking Scandinavians comes from DNA analysis and theories, but for an idea of how modern-day Swedes, Danes, and Norwegians look like we can turn to some cold hard data and settle some standard questions right off the bat. On the other hand, further north, theres a more subarctic climate similar to the weather youd find in Finland. 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. Positive traits of the Swedish personality. Another way to avoid conflicts is to not act in a brash way, but instead trying to display oneself as being humble. BiljaST / Pixabay. Swedish personality characteristics include humbleness, open-mindedness, honesty, creativity, quietness, competitiveness, and fairness. The Finnish people are, however, of the Baltic Finnic ethnic group, which actually makes Estonia the Finns closest relatives . Throughout Scandinavian history the people in the region have had a diet very high in Vitamin D due to a high amount of fish present in the diet. Thanks Jonna for your comment, and Im happy to hear you enjoyed the article! Instead, one of the Swedish traits that many people pick up on is the fact that they like to stay back and remain quiet. Design There's a lot more to Scandinavian people traits than a Viking or model physique and a great sense of fashion. Blue eyes are most common in Europe, especially Scandinavia. 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. 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. Did you know that Alfred Nobel (for whom the Nobel Prize is named) was Swedish? Symbolism (Swedish Fish Facts!). They are a people who prefer to be left alone until they are ready to engage socially.
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