This means hotter summer and longer days. The average height of both males and females is high in Scandinavian countries when you look on a global scale, with the Nordic countries all ranking among the tallest 20 countries, and all with a male average height over 180 cm (5 ft 10 in). Obviously, not all Scandinavian women look the same, as they have different hair and eye colors, body types, and defining features. Denmark People trust that youre doing your job well, and things just work. Did you know that the Nordic countries (including Sweden) consume the most coffee per capita of any country on Earth? 2. 10945. 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. 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 . Swedes are humble people, most of them can even be considered as reasonable. Of course, not every Swedish person can be lumped into the same categories, but most agree that those traits are typical of . This can be a Pro or a Con depending on your personal points of view. All Rights Reserved. The men sport scraggly beards and brutish, battle-worn facial features. Even more remotely is that it's the combination of both of these factors. You will want to check out what Swedens IceHotel is all about. Below the neck, this body hair is generally concentrated on the arms and legs in the Nordics. Brands from Sweden: What are the most famous Swedish brands? Spring and Autumn months are definitely best for bird watching. Scandinavian IKEA stores are so popular with people that many simply walk through them just to say that they have been through one and getting an IKEA Swedish meatball is just a bonus! (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. Not only does Scandinavia have some of the happiest people on the planet, but it also has some of the most appealing landscapes too. The terms Scandinavian and Nordic are closely related and often erroneously used interchangeably. 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. You will be surprised how accurate it is! Scandinavians do have curly hair, but as weve established most of them have wavy or straight hair. 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). There are major works of art that are placed in places as routine as the metro stations that people use every day. Most people from the Nordics have light eyes and hair, and are quite tall compared to other nationalities. In fact, one of the traits of Swedish women is a desire to participate in decision-making. Denmark is home to approximately 5,747,830 people as of the 2018 census. is the fact that remaining quiet allows them to take in more information. . There are plenty of famous Scandinavians with notably high cheekbones, a trait which is commonly passed down in the Nordic region through families with Sami heritage. 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. Sweden is blessed to have some of the most beautiful landscapes and weather conditions of anywhere in the world. Because the Scandinavian people bring fewer politics into their workplace, the environment feels freer and more comfortable. Thanks Jonna for your comment, and Im happy to hear you enjoyed the article! It is common to add a cinnamon roll (kanelbullar) to the experience. It turns out that Swedes dont even like to discuss politics all that much. Sweden has produced many amazing hit pop songs and contributed to many others. Europe had been split up into smaller sub-regions, as these countries are among the tallest in the world. Fika Born on October 21, 1833, he is one of the most famous people in the world. I mean, that's just practical. This idea symbolises social. Subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest Nordic resources, insights, tips, hidden gems, and much more. 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). Scandinavian means belonging or relating to a group of northern European countries that includes Denmark, Norway, and . They're all socialists. That, and the fact that blue eyes are a mutation that developed long ago and has remained in the population ever since. History Guests are given thermal sleeping bags to help keep themselves comfortable as they sleep in these iceboxes. In Scandinavian regions, everyone expects everyone else to perform to the same standard. 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. One of the most notable aspects of Swedish culture is their respect for the environment and commitment to sustainability. 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. 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. Is the origin of this theory SVTs The first Swedes ? Scandinavian people do not have a very high prevalence of the EDAR gene, thought to be connected with thicker hair (among other traits). Photo courtesy of Taylor Trah. 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. In the second hostel where I stayed, a Taiwanese guy told me about receiving a card from a Swedish bank. When speaking, Swedes speak softly and calmly. Oslo There are also 9,000 Swedish citizens living in Finland. The official Scandi countries rank second, third and fourth on the list of the world's tallest people, pipped only by the Dutch. Although most Swedes look naturally sun-kissed, the reality is that they spend much of their time living in darkness (like beautiful Scandinavian moles). (Complete Guide), Recent advancements in DNA analysis tech have led to extraordinary insight into how Vikings looked, from hair and eye color to size and ancestry. Ive writtenan article where I go into detail about Viking traits and looks, so if you want to find out more about Vikings looks go take a look. Its worth keeping in mind that Sweden and Norway were part of the same kingdom until 1814 so they have a particularly close relationship. 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. The study shows the genetic history of Scandinavia was influenced by foreign genes from Asia and Southern Europe . They take longer to warm up to new people and new experiences. For instance, theres a genuine sense of equality in Scandinavian workplaces. I don't know why people assume you must be blond to have Scandinavian heritage, and we should stop perpetuating that assumption. 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 . Theres no guarantee that it will show on any given night but the colourful lights are visible about 200 nights each year. Many of the Scandinavian countries are becoming increasingly diverse but they remain to be some of the safest places on the planet. Theres a little bit of controversy here, as different people seem to hold their own opinions about whether certain countries should be featured in the Scandinavian peninsula. Anything that the country can do to brighten things up for people and bring a little joy into their lives is something that they are going to do. Your email address will not be published. A possible explanation is that the Viking settlements in the northeast coast of the . A group of some of the most beautiful countries in the world, Scandinavia doesnt just offer amazing travel opportunities. But sometimes, stereotypes do have some basis of fact at their core. When it comes to writing, there are two different versions of written Norwegian; Bokml and Nynorsk. Swedish design techniques have left their impact on the planet. 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. So what do the rest of the Nordics look like? Curious how Vikings actually looked like? The relationship between Norway and the Euro. Does Norway use the Euro? They involve a certain degree of prejudice and generalization. Sweden is the home of many tall people. (Swedish Fish Facts!). Sweden is a country of just over 10 million people, but they have produced more than their fair share of contributions to the world. Natural platinum blonde or near-white hair occurs occasionally among the population in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, and Iceland, primarily among children (as hair tends to darken with age). 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. So, let's set a few things straight! You can see this every Swedish National Day, when the royal women come out in full Swedish traditional clothing which looks great! 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. Everything you need to know about travelling in Scandinavia. The people of Sweden do not want to leave anything to chance when it comes to something like this. 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). Answer (1 of 6): After taking a DNA test I was told I was 29% Scandinavian with other ethnicity such as Southern European,Iberian Peninsula%, Scotland/Ireland/Wales/ Great Britain 15%While I was growing up I was told I was half Portuguese and half German.Whatever the fact isI'm short, stocky a. 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. There is a quietness about them that can be off putting to some people from other cultures that are much more vocal, but the Swedes prefer to keep things quiet and allow the time it takes to get used to new people. These are the people that are happy to let people have their own opinions and continue with life as normal without a debate. The Nordic/Scandinavian physical stereotypes are as cliche as they are well-knownthe stereotypical Scandis are expected to be a bunch of tall, blonde-haired, and blue-eyed Vikings in most peoples mindsbut can those stereotypes actually be true in modern-day Scandinavia? The two groups that came to Scandinavia were originally genetically quite different, and displayed distinct physical appearances. Theres very little to worry about when living in Scandinavia. Many choose to combine their coffee with a food treat. Nordic spring/summer): First off, there are plenty of people with darker skin in todays Scandinavia, but they generally have more than just Scandinavian heritage in their family. You may also be interested in: Do Swedish People Speak English (So You Can Live There)? Do Scandinavians have a lot of body hair? At the same time, DNA testing of remains of ancient Irish people . 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. Music For example, in Italy, small talk might be considered polite, while in Scandinavia, it can be considered bothersome. Swedish people features and stereotypes include that they tend to be tall, have blue eyes, fair skin, and blond hair. NEW VIDEOS EVERY THUR, FRI, SAT & SUN! A genetic study of Viking-age human . Theyd pick someone up on the side of the road if they were lost, and they frequently donate a lot to charitable organisations. They prefer to keep their heads down and continue to work on making the planet a better place. Blue eyes are not as resistant to sunlight as other colors (such as brown). (Also see Why Do Norwegians Hate Swedes and Danes? As well as offering plenty of unique cultures and stores to explore, the region is also packed full of great food too. The project . The Egyptian foot shape is characterized by the perfect alignment of all your toes in a descending order. The average Viking was 8-10 cm (3-4 inches) shorter than we are today. All living humans who descended from Africa have about 2% Neanderthal DNA, and this includes Scandinavians. The point of doing so is to see some of the most amazing sights in the sky that you may have ever witnessed in your life, especially given how dark it gets in Sweden in this area. The Nordic race was a racial concept which originated in 19th century anthropology. Of course, these archetypes do not represent all Swedish people in the 21st Century. A DNA study of Britons has shown that genetically there is not a unique Celtic group of people in the UK. Still, genealogists from Stockholm university believe modern Swedes are most closely related to the hunter-gatherers from the so-called Pitted Ware culture when it comes to physical appearance. Spontaneous visits to someone are rare, and they may even be considered rude. Not just in the big city of Stockholm, . 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%). 20+ Swedish Stereotypes (And Whether They're True!) There's a lot more to Scandinavian people traits than a Viking or model physique and a great sense of fashion. Design People who are native to regions close to the Scandinavian Peninsula are likely to show relatively higher amounts of Scandinavian DNA. Ovmar has even been accused of having undergone plastic surgery due to her high cheekbones, a claim she rebuffs by simply pointing to her Sami background (which seems plausible judging by the picture below to the left). 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. As youll soon find, the Swedes are great to speak with. I never heard of a darker skin mixing and become as white as we are today. You can see below for what to perhaps expect the next time you meet a Swede. The Swedish-speaking Finns or Finland-Swedes form a minority group in Finland. Norway If youre looking for more of a winter wonderland, the colder weather in Scandinavia runs between December and March. Their citizens have one of the longest life . Swedish women are easy to . While the people of Scandinavia emerged from Northern Europe, the people of Finland emigrated from the east. An interesting thing about this is the fact that pale skin is considered highly desirable among many types of people. According to the data, those of Celtic ancestry in Scotland and Cornwall are more similar . 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. Are Scandinavians seen as unusually attractive? 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. This data may not be representative of the Nordic region as a whole, but at least it gives you an insight into what actual Scandinavian people look like in 2023. In fact, the average height in Sweden is much taller than the world average. 3 The notion of ' folkhemmet ' ('the people's home') is a metaphor for the nation of Sweden as a family household. It is because of the lower than average exposure to the sun. Will heads up Scandifications tech-team, occasionally reviewing the best of Scandinavian tech and design. Theres a lot more to Scandinavian people traits than a Viking or model physique and a great sense of fashion. While Scandinavian people indulge in sweet treats and fatty foods, they don't binge too often. Lets dig a little deeper and look at what we know about the first Scandinavians: The first inhabitants of the Scandinavian peninsula came from the south with darker skin and blue eyes (known as Western Hunter-Gatherers), later joined by migrants from the east (known as Eastern Hunter-Gatherers) who had lighter skin but darker eyes.During the following centuries, these two hunter-gatherer groups intermingled and produced one of the most diverse populations of the stone age, with a population at the time of about 10 000 to 20 000 in all of Scandinavia. This means that Scandinavians are the earliest Europeans. Science 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. This is according to genetic research by Medland et al. Nordic and Scandinavian Physical Traits Today. Although many visitors prefer to seek out warmer Scandinavian weather when they can, theres a magic to the countries in winter too. According to a 2020 study published in The Lancet, Danes are the 4th tallest people in the world, followed by the Icelandic in 6th, the Swedes in 12th, Norwegians in 13th, and finally the Finns as 17th tallest people in the world. Danish shoe brands: Fall head over heels for these Danish shoes, The best Scandinavian Christmas tree decorations and ornaments, two regions share a very similar way of life, Norway covers around 125,020 square miles, Sweden covers around 173,860 square miles, concept in the Scandinavian culture called Jantelov, AWNL Stockholm: The meteoric rise of Swedish jewellery design, VEJRHJ Watches wood, steel & Nordic minimalism, Meet Larsen and Eriksen: The watch designers from Denmark, Urbanista audio: Scandi designs to suit your lifestyle, Triwa watches: Transforming the watch industry forever. The reasons for this are similar to the reasons why they often have pale skin as well. If you include Finland and Iceland in the Scandinavian Peninsula, they add even more diversity to the landscape. One of the Swedish characteristics that people sometimes take for granted is how humble they are as a people. Additionally, the same is true for the southern areas in Sweden. It seems like pretty much anything will count as entertainment for a Norwegian person. People from all over the world with high cheekbones are often seen as attractive by todays standards, with Swedish beauty contestant Ida Ovmar as one recent example where its worked out in her favor. The truth, as always, is a little more complicated than a simple good or bad. They don't just drive everywhere, they walk, cycle, and hike. Scientists have posited many theories on why Scandinavian people have light . (Complete Guide to Viking Traits), Recent advancements in DNA analysis tech have led to extraordinary insight into how Vikings looked, from hair and eye color to size and ancestry. It is very common to see Swedish physical traits of blonde hair, blue eyes, a tall figure, pale skin, and thin lips. He ultimately returned to his native Malm with his love, where they now have 3 Swedish-American boys eager to explore the world. Some people may see this as a rude Swedish trait, but it is not meant that way at all. 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. Read Article Now. Norse 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! This article may contain affiliate links. Among the Sami people (hailing from Northern Scandinavia), high cheekbones are very common. So, what can we learn from Scandinavian people? The IceHotel is literally made of ice and snow and kept at a cool -4 degrees Celsius. One of the most misunderstood traits that Scandinavians are associated with is their reservation towards strangers or tourists. This can be compared to the Mediterranean region, where its concentrated on the chest and back instead. All systems have positives and negatives and Scandinavian countries are no exception.. One thing's for sure though, Many commentators have clearly never set foot in the Nordic region and barely understand the Nordic way of doing things. Lifestyle 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 . Scientists are now able to create eerily realistic facial reconstructions, getting us closer than ever to find out who they were and what the Vikings looked like. Emotions are not expressed as . 4. He was told that the card would arrive in . When speaking with a Swede, you may notice that they avert their eyes or refuse to look directly at you. If you compare this to a region further away, such as Southern Europe (Italy and . This atmosphere comes from a concept in the Scandinavian culture called Jantelov which basically means that everyone thinks of themselves as being no better or worse than the rest of the community. Whether these traits stem from a diverse pre-bronze age population, geographical conditions, or the modern diet of the region as a whole is hard to say, but they all likely played some part at least. Finland covers about 130,558 square miles of land, and its got plenty of beautiful lakes to visit. The word Scandinavia arose in the early eighteenth century as a result of Swedish and Danish universities, which championed the shared arts, mythology, and history of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. 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?) Most people in Sweden might be characterized as introverts, and they like it that way. Required fields are marked *. Are Scandinavians and Nordics especially strong? I consent to the privacy policy and terms and conditions. There is a word in the Swedish language that refers to the coffee break that many people take throughout their work day. 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? 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. Most people are very athletic and hardy, very punctual, and they have everything exactly set. Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a9769233b40fbdc3f7fc31f716ac2283" );document.getElementById("j39e62affa").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Gods Except when there's a party (although, please ask first and never wear heels on our nice wooden floors). Keep in mind that its quite chilly, but you can expect slightly warmer temperatures if you move closer towards the inland. It is part of Swedish culture to try to allow others to take care of their own problems while staying on the sidelines and trying to mind their own business.