Scandinavia is a region in northern Europe that includesDenmark
and two of the Scandinavian Peninsula's countries,
Norway and
Sweden.
In common English usage,
Iceland,
the Faroe Islands
and Greenland are often grouped with Scandinavia.
The term Nordic countries refers to Denmark, Norway and Sweden as well as Finland and Iceland, and associated territories.
Scandinavia extends to the north of the Arctic Circle, but has relatively mild weather for its latitude, owing to the North Atlantic Current. Much of the Scandinavian mountains have an alpine tundra climate. There are many lakes and moraines. The vast majority of the human population of Scandinavia are Scandinavian, belonging to the group of Germanic peoples. The northern regions of Scandinavia are home to a small minority of Sami peoples.
