17 May 2022. What is considered friendly in one country, may not be in another. Swedish foreign minister: We won't be secure without NATO membership, Sweden and Finland want to join NATO. But Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoan described Finland and Sweden as a "hatchery" for terror groups. I remember Sweden and Norway hard defending us danes when Trump said he wanted to buy Greenland. What your brother does can annoy you beyond belief, and you bet he'll do it again and again, just because it annoys you. Finlands prime minister, Sanna Marin, and her Swedish counterpart, Magdalena Andersson, said last month that Russias invasion of Ukraine had changed Europes whole security landscape and dramatically shaped mindsets in the Nordic region. For instance, non-Scandinavians observe many similarities between Norwegians, Swedes, and Danes, especially when it comes to appearance, politics, and lifestyle. Though 2013 saw a record number of asylum applications to Norway, it granted asylum to fewer than half of them (around 5,000 people), a third of the number that less wealthy Sweden admits (Sweden accepted over 9,000 from Syria alone). One common stereotype about people from Sweden and Denmark is that they drink a lot of alcohol. As we reported in a fact-check comparing Sweden with Italy, Spain and the . When people compare Sweden unfavorably to Finland and Norway to dismiss its laissez-faire policy, they are drawing the opposite conclusion from what the data . See Why Do Norwegians Hate Swedes and Danes? He blames Nato for blocking his takeover of Ukraine and has demanded Nato troops be withdrawn from eastern Europe. For much of the Viking Age, the nations of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, as they are known today, did not exist yet. It's all over a tiny group of islands, believe it or not. Scandinavian jokes featuring "the Swede, the Dane and the Norwegian" are commonplace in schools. In sports, for example, Norwegians want to defeat Danes and Swedes, when it comes to hockey, skiing, and other winter sports competitions. Related to the disunity, some people have the perception that Norwegians hate their Swedish and Danish neighbors. On the other hand they have also to accept Turkish requests of extradition of 30 terrorists, [which are] very specific cases.". I hear you say. Sweden, however, remained the regional outlier for more than a century. The Finns are epic Friday-night bingers and alcohol is now the leading cause of death for Finnish men. People in other countries prefer to shake hands. RUSSIA. It would be known as the Finnish War (which is where it was mainly fought) and would include Great Britain on Sweden's side and Denmark and France on Russia's. They were both part of the Kalmar Union between 1397 and 1523, and a personal union between 1814 and 1905. What do Norwegians think of Swedes and Danes? They will do anything to avoid sharing a lift with a stranger, as I found out during a day-long experiment behaving as un-Swedishly as possible in Stockholm. In fact, the only way they can communicate with each other is through the neutral language of English, and quite often, it is through this non-native tongue that their wars of words are waged. Turkey's president says he may oppose. Norway's strong social security net, which includes generous parental leave policies, is a key reason the country of just over 5 million people is consistently rated one of the best places in the world to live. This level only worsened in the age bracket of 80 or above - a group more affected by issues like illness. But this does not mean that they are all too chummy either. "But at least the trains run on time!" I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Think of it as the China of the north. Centuries ago, Danes and Swedes fought for regional supremacy. Also see Scandinavia Flags: Compare Designs and Meanings to learn more. Why did Sweden and Norway Break Up? The leaders of Sweden and Finland meet with President Biden today after officially applying to join NATO, but their applications have hit an early snag. [1]. Answer (1 of 26): In my generation, almost everyone I know have worked either in Denmark or in Norway. They're not big on chat. Then in 1387, the three countries joined together through a unification agreement called the Kalmar Union. Denmark is becoming a nation divided, essentially, between the places which have a branch of Sticks'n'Sushi (Copenhagen) and the rest. As depicted in this excellent long-running web comic, the typical Swede is seen as rich, arrogant, and tech-savvy. Photograph: Alamy. It may be due to regional and cultural attitude tendencies that dont necessarily have negative roots. Everyone understands that Finland is not Russian, despite being part of the Russian Empire for 108 years. We exists to inform people about the people, culture, and history of Northern Europe. Is Denmark and the Netherlands the Same Country? It is unclear how he would respond if he considers the alliances expansion in northern Europe an existential danger. [1] But it has so many exciting places that deciding which area to visit can be challenging. When Erdogan talks of "terrorists" in this context, he means the Kurdish Workers' Party, or the PKK a Kurdish Marxist separatist movement that has been fighting Turkish forces on-and-off since the 1980s. Geographically speaking, the Scandinavian peninsula is the area shared by Norway, Sweden, and a part of northern Finland. True, they claim to be the happiest people in the world, but why no mention of the fact they are second only to Iceland when it comes to consuming anti- depressants? Effectively a one-party state albeit supported by a couple of shadowy industrialist families for much of the 20th century, "neutral" Sweden (one of the world largest arms exporters) continues to thrive economically thanks to its distinctive brand of totalitarian modernism, which curbs freedoms, suppresses dissent in the name of consensus, and seems hell-bent on severing the bonds between wife and husband, children and parents, and elderly on their children. According to a report in Politiken this month, the proportion of people below the poverty line has doubled over the last decade. Turkey says Sweden and Finland have ties with "terrorist" groups a reference to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and the People's Protection Units (YPG). Many have pointed to their success as a contrast to Sweden, which has a much higher COVID-19 death rate. People in some countries offer kisses on the cheek. It is a natural part of having a national identity. There is no true animosity between these two former enemies today, which is a testament to the high standard of civility cultivated throughout Scandinavia in the modern era. In 2020, the Sweden Democrats vetoed the rule of law conditionality for accessing EU funds and thereby cosied up to Poland and Hungary. I think a lot of the reason Sweden being targetted by its neighbours can be attributed to simple facts: Sweden being the immediate Nordic neighbour of Denmark/Norway/Finland, Sweden being the largest country in the Nordics. So, yes, I do think culture matters a great deal to understanding why countries like Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden score high on this particular indicator of happiness. And Norway isn't the only Scandinavian neighbor barring Swedes, with some exceptions, from visiting this summer. Icelands epic landscapes draw hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. After decades dreaming of life among olive trees and vineyards, these days for some reason, we Brits are now projecting our need for the existence of an earthly paradise northwards. This perception is subjective, however, and difficult to measure through polling, reporting, or data analyses. A minor linguistic error has also been corrected. The same applies in Norway, with Oslo often measuring up as more expensive than places like Bergen. Neighbors may also have different religious convictions as well. "The Russian invasion of Ukraine and the fact that the war now focuses on parts of that country that are adjacent to Turkey and of profound strategic and even historic interest to Ankara has reminded many Turks of the value of membership in NATO.". The Kurdish people are often described as the world's largest ethnic group without a homeland an estimated 30 million people. The authors say that in Nordic countries high incomes protected people against feeling they were suffering or struggling. The United States is ratcheting up national security concerns about TikTok, mandating that all federal employees delete the Chinese-owned social media app from government-issued mobile phones. (Also see Do People Still Practice the Norse Religion Today? Norway saw a 40% increase over the five-year-period of young people seeking help for mental health difficulties. The typical Dane is usually seen as a slightly decadent hedonist, with a can of beer never far from reach. National pride certainly exists in Scandinavian countries like it does elsewhere in the world. Nato membership would mean that for the first time Finland and Sweden would have security guarantees from nuclear states. The idea is that because Sweden's horrific death rates followed its refusal to lock down its society as strictly as other countries, the latter must have been the cause of the former. The Swedes, on the other hand, if asked to describe the good people of Denmark, might depict the Danes as happy-go-lucky people who, for better or worse, wear their emotions on their sleeves. See Is Denmark and the Netherlands the Same Country? Its health service is buckling too. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns. Actually, I have lived in Denmark on and off for about a decade, because my wife's work is here (and she's Danish). The people who live in neighboring countries around the world, like in Scandinavia, often have many similarities. The facts this relationship lies on are the long common history of domination by Sweden. Finland, Denmark, Sweden and New Zealand all have high GDP per capita, low inequality rates, literacy rates close to 100 %, and prioritise human right issues (e.g. Got a confidential news tip? Sweden has a population of 10 million people, nearly nine out of 10 of whom live in urban areas. Sweden and Finland have also said they will not approve the repatriation of 33 people that Turkey has accused of links to terrorism. The myriad successes of the Nordic countries are no miracle, they were born of a combination of Lutheran modesty, peasant parsimony, geographical determinism and ruthless pragmatism ("The Russians are attacking? Their residents have a healthy pride in their people, history, and social priorities. Those offshore windmills may look impressive as you land at Kastrup, but Denmark burns an awful lot of coal. Rent is much more expensive in Norway than Sweden, up to 32% higher in fact. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg talks speaks during a joint press with Sweden and Finland's Foreign ministers after their meeting at the Nato headquarters in Brussels on January 24, 2022 . They are very pleased to be told they did not." Could the question, Why do Norwegians Hate Swedes and Danes? come from stereotypes that non-Scandinavians have about people in the region? "Swedes seem not to 'feel as strongly' as certain other people", Daun writes in his excellent book, Swedish Mentality. Norway and Finland have some of the lowest COVID-19 death rates in the world. Many analysts believe the two countries will apply simultaneously. People in some countries welcome people with a conversation. If only I had a penny everyone time someone from my country cried about tar or cudgel war well I wouldn't be rich but I could easily afford a cup of coffee. The Swedish approach. While most of the Kurds living in Sweden which local groups say number as many as 100,000 have no affiliation with the PKK, the Swedish government has supported members of other Kurdish organizations, particularly the political wing of the PKK's Syrian branch, called the PYD. This article was amended on 29 January 2014. It will be BBC Radio 4's Book of the Week from 10 February. Nonaligned up until now, Finland and Sweden last weekend announced plans to abandon that position and join NATO in the wake of Russia's bloody invasion of Ukraine. Its postwar foreign policy has focused on multilateral dialogue and nuclear disarmament and it has long seen itself as a mediator on the international stage, running down its military after the end of the cold war. Speaking of Danes and Swedes, there is also the commonly held notion that these two nationalities hate each other. Both Norway and Sweden are "long" countries. So what are other stereotypes people have about Scandinavians? Pull up an Egg. "At some point in the evening around 11.30pm, people start behaving aggressively, throwing punches, wrestling," Heikki Aittokoski, foreign editor of Helsingin Sanomat, told me. Instead, Scandinavia was comprised of competing chieftains and warlords, some more prominent than others, who vied for land, power, and wealth. 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