Statistics show that there are 87 distinct peoples in Europe, and 33 form the majority in at least one sovereign state. The remaining 54 ethnic groups are placed in the minority category. The number of the total minority group population is estimated to be at 105 million people, or 14% of all 770 million Europeans. Each country still holds an indigenous population as well. The indigenous people of Norway, Sweden, and even Finland are The Sami. The Sami are among the largest group of indigenous people in Europe. Norway holds 60,000-100,000; Sweden 15,000-25,000; Finland 6,400.
The Scandinavian Peninsula is a geographic region that consists of Norway and Sweden. This is the largest peninsula in all of Europe ranging at 1,150 miles long and 250-500 miles wide. It is surrounded by four seas- The Baltic Sea, to the east; The North Sea, to the west and southwest; The Norwegian Sea, to the west; The Barents Sea, to the north. Most of the soil on the peninsula has been carved by glaciers to form many different landscape features.
The northern most territory of Europe has essentially been carved out by glaciers, which has left the land jagged with Fjords. A fjord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides, created in a valley carved by glacial activity. Many of the valleys are a result from glaciations from the ice age. Fjords develop best in mountainous regions, because they need a long decent to sea level to create such an impact and scar on the earth.
Minnesota is the United States’ land of lakes. Holding 10,000 bodies of water, Minnesota is a peon compared Sweden’s capacity of lakes. With a staggering 97,500 lakes larger than 2 acres, Sweden holds the torch for being the true land of lakes. The deepest of these lakes is Hornavan, plummeting at 228 meters deep. The largest, Vanern, has a total area of 5648 km². In these lakes resides 52 species of fresh water fish.
Vikings are Scandinavian warriors, explorers, merchants, and pirates, who raided and colonized much of Europe in the late eight to eleventh century. Without the impact of the Vikings, Europe would not be the continent it is today. The Viking Age began dramatically on June 8, 793 CE, when Norsemen destroyed the abbey on the island of Lindisfarne. This act of devastation made the presence of Vikings known to the European Court. They were shocked and outraged that beings could do such an “atrocity”. This attack demonized the perception of the Viking people. It wasn’t until the 1890’s that scholars started to recognize and appreciate their artistry, technological advancements, seamanship, and overall achievements that made this race of people such a mobilized force.
Renaissance Humanism is the spirit of learning that developed at the end of the Middle Ages with the revival of classical letters and a renewed confidence in the ability of human beings to determine for themselves truth and falsehood. Italy had always been a top competitor for the teachings of scholars. Most scholars of Italy were sent to study in countries among the Alps. Thanks to this, the ideas and interests of Italian Humanist had spread to Western and Northern Europe. Although humanism was “imported” by Italy, that doesn’t necessarily mean that their humanistic views were the same as Northern Europe’s. For instance, Italy believed that Roman history was a glorious episode in their natural past. However, humanist in Northern Europe approached the Middle Ages with more sympathy, seeing as how it was their past.
This was basically a birth or rebirth of interest in arts and sciences. Although many believe it was mainly a stepping stone for Europeans from the Middle Ages into a more realistic and expressive style. Influenced by Italy’s vast amount of innovations, many artists began to arise from Europe as well. The northern renaissance mainly wanted to bring science and philosophy into art. Some say humanism started the northern renaissance, but that’s not true because humanism affected Italy more than Europe. In the North, change was driven by other means: religious reform, the return to ancient Christian values, and the revolt against the authority of the church.
Since the discovery of oil in the North Sea in 1960, oil and gas have become a boost in Norway’s economy. It is said that the Barents Sea, off the coast of Norway, holds a third of the world’s remaining oil. Norway is now the third largest exporter of oil on Earth, shipping around 3 million barrels per day. They are also the world’s sixth largest producer of gas, which is derived from the North Sea. Norway uses hydroelectricity power plants to generate and stream electricity. They are the first country to generate electricity using sea bed tidal power. Despite their efficiency in energy, Norway was ranked 12th in a 2004 list of countries by carbon dioxide emissions per capita.
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Submitted by Reid Olson on March 25, 2009