Scandinavia vs Nordic Countries Part II: Inconsistencies

Based on the research I did for Part I http://arcticchill.wordpress.com/2010/03/20/scandinavia-vs-nordic-countries-part-i-what-is-the-difference/ , we know that

1.  Scandinavia is Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

2.  Nordic countries are Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, and Finland.

These definitions are given by the governments of all 5 Nordic countries.  None of them are involved in any territorial dispute with each other.  So the definitions should be very clear, right?  No, not all the time.

If you are interested in buying a guidebook on Scandinavia, then you will find that most guidebooks for the Scandinavian region include Iceland and/or Finland in their definition for Scandinavia.  Michelin Green Guides is the only exception because it correctly titles its guidebook http://www.amazon.com/Scandinavia-Finland-Michelin-Green-Guides/dp/2067123300/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271612501&sr=8-1 “Scandinavia & Finland.”  While it has Danish, Faroese, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian, and Swedish phrases, Lonely Planet’s Scandinavian phrasebook http://www.amazon.com/Scandinavian-Phrasebook-Lonely-Planet/dp/1741046033/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271612722&sr=1-1 does clarify in introduction that Scandinavia refers to Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.  It really should be called Nordic instead of Scandinavian phrasebook.

Maybe you decide to get brochures from an official source such as VisitDenmark.com.  Well, VisitDenmark.com http://www.visitdenmark.com/usa/en-us/menu/turist/turistinformation/denmark-magazine/denmark-magazine.htm tells you to click on “order brochures” to fulfill your request.  Clicking on that link takes you to http://www.goscandinavia.com/usa/en-us/menu/scandinavia/brochures/order-brochures/order-brochures.htm .  You eventually find the front page, http://www.goscandinavia.com/usa/en-us/menu/scandinavia/go-scandinavia.htm , and see that this is the official site of Scandinavian Tourist Boards of North America.  Wait a minute, it lists all 5 Nordic countries as Scandinavian?! 

Now, if you had picked Australia, Japan, or China as the countries you are travelling from (or country version) at VisitDenmark.com, you would see the following on http://www.visitscandinavia.com.au/AboutScandinavia/Scandinavia.aspx :

Scandinavia is located in the northern part of the European Continent, and consists of three countries: Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.  The term “Northern Europe” usually refers to a total of five countries: the three nations of Scandinavia, and neighbouring Finland and Iceland.

So you now wonder if the governments of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, and Finland are confused.  Actually, they are not.

As part of my explanation, I must focus your attention on an entity called Nordic Investment Bank (NIB).  From both the member countries http://www.nib.int/about_nib/member_countries , and history http://www.nib.int/about_nib/history sections, you see that NIB was created by the 5 Nordic countries  of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, and Finland in 1976.  In 2005, however, the 3 Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania joined NIB.  But there was no need for NIB to change its name because it is still mostly Nordic: the Nordic countries subscribe about 96.5% of authorized capital.  It would be more accurate to rename the NIB to something like the Nordic and Baltic Investment Bank, but it would not make a huge difference.

Back to the Scandinavian Tourist Board (STB).  The STB is fully owned by the national tourist boards of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, http://www.visitscandinavia.com.au/StbInfo.aspx .  According to the Nordic Council, around 80% of Nordic population have Danish, Norwegian, or Swedish as their mother tongue http://www.norden.org/en/the-nordic-region/language/language .  So the Nordic countries are mostly Scandinavian.  Despite including Nordic, but non-Scandinavian countries, the Scandinavian Tourist Boards of North America are still mostly Scandinavian.  It would be more accurate to change the name to the Nordic Tourist Boards of North America.  But perhaps the 3 real Scandinavian countries provide most of the funding and want “Scandinavian” instead of “Nordic” in the name?  I don’t know. 

I think another reason why travel guidebooks and even the national tourist boards of Nordic countries use the word “Scandinavian” when “Nordic” is more appropriate is for marketing purpose.  Many people outside of the Scandinavian and Nordic regions don’t know the difference between Scandinavia and Nordic countries.  Americans in particular are notorious for not knowing much about world geography.  It is, however, easier and better for the Nordic tourist boards to cater to their customers.  You know the saying, customers are always right even when they are wrong!  Out of the Nordic countries, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland are very close to each other geographically and it is very easy for tourists to visit more than 1 country.  So it is not a bad idea to put Finland in a guidebook for Scandinavia….as long as the publisher titles it correctly!

I personally go with how the Nordic people identify themselves.  Scandinavia is Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.  Nordic countries are Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, and Finland.

Advertisement