to learn more. Their big new drama series, Arvingerne (The Legacy, when it comes to BBC4 later this year) is stunning, but the reality of prime-time Danish TV is day-to-day, wall-to-wall reruns of 15-year-old episodes of Midsomer Murders and documentaries on pig welfare. But would I want to live in Finland? When it comes to Finland, Turkey's opposition to it joining NATO appears to be more by association the country has a far smaller Kurdish population than Sweden, but its foreign policy tends to be similar. A spokesman for the Sweden Democrats (currently at an all-time high of close to 10% in the polls) insisted to me that immigrants were "more prone to violence". Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. DeSantis won't say he's running. If Scandinavia was the Dursley family, Denmark would be Dudley. [8]. 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. Swedes working in Norway are popular with customers, employers and workmates alike, alm. Swedish benefits are the best in the world Working in Sweden gives you a boat load of holidays. For example, a Norwegian who is hyper competitive about, A Norwegian who is passionate about social issues, may have a national pride when it comes to comparisons of tolerance or the strength and availability of. The Danes are aggressively jingoistic, waving their red-and-white dannebrog at the slightest provocation. Historically, the Nordic countries gained a head start by giving women the right to vote before others (Sweden in 1919, Norway in 1913, Iceland and Denmark in 1915, Finland in 1906). Join the Nazis! Crucially, they all perform well in terms of government openness and effectiveness. He blames Nato for blocking his takeover of Ukraine and has demanded Nato troops be withdrawn from eastern Europe. More . Later, in 1523, Sweden left the alliance, which resulted in increased tension among the Scandinavian nations. On the other hand they have also to accept Turkish requests of extradition of 30 terrorists, [which are] very specific cases.". Norway saw a 40% increase over the five-year-period of young people seeking help for mental health difficulties. However, they shared one monarch and had a single foreign policy run by the Swedish Ministry of Foreign . A statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry Friday voiced concern about what it described as efforts by the United States and some of its allies to "drag" Finland and Sweden into NATO and. 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. We want to hear from you. The decision represents a setback for Moscow, with the. The Nordic countries share a history that goes back hundreds of years. Yet historical disagreements, and international conflict, can create rifts between neighboring people groups, even ones their current citizens didnt directly experience. We need not detain ourselves here too long. It came as Russia's invasion of Ukraine intensified today after a night of . Sweden says the PKK and PYD are different but Turkey says they are one and the same. Several Kurds even have seats in Sweden's Parliament. Television in Denmark is rubbish, Finnish men like a drink and Sweden is not exactly a model of democracy. The PKK have carried out scores of attacks within Turkey. "We are seeing that this epidemic of mental illness and loneliness is reaching the shores of the Nordic countries.". It said that research shows lack of social contact was a greater problem among Nordic men than women. Others believe that Erdogan ultimately will not block Sweden and Finland's NATO memberships, but instead is seeking to improve his waning domestic popularity. 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. The Nordic model were developed in all Scandinavian countries at about the same time in the 1930s due to similar agreements between trade unions and employers. In 2020, the Sweden Democrats vetoed the rule of law conditionality for accessing EU funds and thereby cosied up to Poland and Hungary. But Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoan described Finland and Sweden as a "hatchery" for terror groups. Data is a real-time snapshot *Data is delayed at least 15 minutes. Erdoan says Turkey may accept Finland into Nato without Sweden, Turkey condemns burning of Quran during far-right protest in Sweden, Turkey pushes back vote on Sweden and Finlands Nato accession, Turkey summons Swedish ambassador over Erdoan effigy, Swedish court blocks extradition of journalist sought by Turkey in Nato deal, Finland and Sweden call on Hungary and Turkey to ratify Nato applications, Erdoan warns Turkey could still block Finland and Swedens accession to Nato, Erdoan gains from lifting Sweden and Finland Nato veto with US fighter jet promise, Putin issues fresh warning to Finland and Sweden on installing Nato infrastructure. Actually, they dont hate them at all. Their negative perception isnt necessarily rooted in racial stereotypes. A Norwegian who is passionate about winter sports, may have a national pride when it comes to comparisons about speed skating or cross-country skiing. Since 1984, between 30,000 and 40,000 people are estimated to have died in fighting between the PKK and Turkish government, according to Crisis Group. At the same time, Foreign Minister Mevlt avuolu said both countries must provide. Life here is pretty comfortable, more so for indigenous families than for immigrants or ambitious go-getters (Google "Jantelov" for more on this), but as with all the Nordic nations, it remains largely free of armed conflict, extreme poverty, natural disasters and Jeremy Kyle. Ethnic minorities living in Nordic countries were less happy, Very religious people were more likely to be happier, No difference was found between people living in the country and those in cities. The Nazis are losing? The simple truth of the matter is that despite hundreds of years of vying for regional supremacy with great loss of life on both sides, modern Danes and Swedes do not hate each other. 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 . Thank you for posting on NordicHistoryMemes. As Daron Acemoglu, an eminent economist at MIT, wrote in 2013: In our. See Is Denmark and the Netherlands the Same Country? As far back as anyone can remember relations between them have been what can only be described as "pretty bloody awful". The land and nature. Your identity is a lot about what you are not. For Hakki Akil, a former Turkish ambassador, the Turkish perspective is "very simple. After centuries of animosity and war, Denmark and Sweden have learned to co-exist peacefully. This fact surprises many people from all around the world and makes them wonder "why". They are very pleased to be told they did not." In fact, as far as recorded history goes, no two countries have gone to war against each other more often than Denmark and Sweden. "Turkey is not happy about the fact that they suddenly become good guys just because they came in handy against ISIS.". Kurds in Turkey were victims of several massacres in the years following the founding of the modern Turkish state in 1923, and use of the Kurdish language there has been banned in various capacities for much of the last century. As a result, productivity is worryingly sluggish. Ask the Danes how they feel about their neighbors to the northeast, and the Swedes would likely be described as being stiff, overly reserved, and downright unfriendly. Last Wednesday in Stockholm, the prime ministers of Sweden and Finland, countries where neutrality and military non-alliance are deeply woven into their cultures, shocked the world by issuing a. The nation once dubbed "the west's reigning educational superpower" (the Atlantic) has slipped in the latest Pisa rankings. The aftermath of Swedens decision, and the regional instability it created, eventually resulted in a civil war between Norway and Denmark. Sweden too is ramping up its military budget and expects to reach the target by 2028. And while previous governments have controlled the spending of oil revenues, the new bunch are threatening a splurge which many warn could lead to full-blown Dutch disease. But do some people living today still have resentment and hold negative views about a neighboring people group due to conflicts that happened centuries ago? I remember Sweden and Norway hard defending us danes when Trump said he wanted to buy Greenland. To drive from Kristiansand in Southern Norway to Kirkenes in the far northeast would take an estimated 38 hours of non-stop driving sticking to Norwegian roads. Since the Treaty of Copenhagen, there havent been significant problems between the three Scandinavian countries that have reached the extremes of military conflict. "We would always prefer to be alone," a Finnish woman once admitted to me. I was told we'd run out of time. In 1520, the execution of 80 members of Swedish nobility (an event that came to be known as the Stockholm Bloodbath) under the direction of then-leader of the union Kristian II of Denmark set the stage for Sweden to break away from the Kalmar Union and set off on its own path of sovereign independence under Swedish ruler Gustav Vasa. And Sweden? 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). The current state of relations between Denmark and Sweden is at times nebulous, and at other times complex. Look up the word "reticent" in the dictionary and you won't find a picture of an awkward Finn standing in a corner looking at his shoelaces, but you should. Its true that Scandinavia holds the highest percentage of people with blonde hair and blue eyes in the world. Norway, Sweden, and Denmark are each part of the region of Northern Europe known as Scandinavia. Actually, I have lived in Denmark on and off for about a decade, because my wife's work is here (and she's Danish). Please see the About page for details. The report notes that in Finland, which ranked as the happiest world country in. Still, NATO may face gridlock for some time if Erdogan is not satisfied with Sweden and Finland's responses to his demands. VideoAt the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece, Covid origin likely China lab incident - FBI chief, Ukraine war casts shadow over India's G20 ambitions, Blackpink lead top stars back on the road in Asia, India anti-corruption crusader fighting to clear his name, Exploring the rigging claims in Nigeria's elections, 'Wales is in England' gaffe sparks TikToker's trip, Record numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. Why do the Danes score so highly on international happiness surveys? 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). Some Norwegians have negative views towards their neighbors, similar to adjacent countries in other regions of the world because past hostilities sometimes result in negative present-day stereotypes. Finland's leaders on Thursday officially expressed support for applying to NATO "without delay," while Sweden's ruling party is expected to follow suit on Sunday. Denmark's provinces have become a social dumping ground for non-western immigrants, the elderly, the unemployed and the unemployable who live alongside Denmark's 22m intensively farmed pigs, raised 10 to a pen and pumped full of antibiotics (the pigs, that is). But to say that Danes and Swedes hate each other today would be a gross overstatement despite the occasional war of words and disparaging remarks. 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 . . Numbers vary according to scholarly interpretation, but by some accounts, the Danes and Swedes have gone to war an astonishing 30 times since the 15th century (this is near twice the number of hostilities between England and France). (Also see Is Denmark and the Netherlands the Same Country?). Finland and Sweden took a historic decision to end their nonaligned positions and join the alliance in the face of Russia's aggression, but new countries joining NATO requires unanimous approval . Both Norway and Sweden are "long" countries. In the US, they'd have an intervention.". Turkish Armed Forces | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images. Swedens ruling Social Democrats have been split on the issue and are holding an internal consultation, with a decision also due on Sunday. Geographically speaking, the Scandinavian peninsula is the area shared by Norway, Sweden, and a part of northern Finland. I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. The report notes that in Finland, which ranked as the happiest world country in 2018, suicide was responsible for a third of all deaths among the age bracket. Sweden has a population of 10 million people, nearly nine out of 10 of whom live in urban areas. Enough of the unblinking idolatry of all things knitted, bearded, rye bread-based and licorice-laced. to learn more.). Underlying the tension between Turkey and Sweden is how each country defines "terrorist," says Hussein Ibish, a senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. "Turkey basically classifies all Kurdish groups it strongly dislikes as PKK front organizations. In other places, people prefer not to touch at all. The inconsistency of Bolshevik Bernie's hatred of billionaires in the US but love of the supposed socialist billionaire paradises of Sweden and Norway was pointed out by CNN's Fareed Zakaria. A Division of NBCUniversal. Got plenty of them. Presumably the correlative of this is that Denmark has the best public services? All Rights Reserved. The reasons behind Turkey's opposition to Sweden and Finland joining NATO are complicated, emotional and steeped in decades ofoftenviolent history. 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. All this is even coming from a Dane/Danskjvlar. Please see the About page for details. The internet changed the world, allowing people everywhere to access information, share their views and debate contentious topics. One main reason this is the case is because of the competition over resources. 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. I've rustled up a sorrel salad and there's some expensive, weak beer in the fridge. Some people believe Norwegians are just more competitive than their neighbors. (Also see Why Do Doors Open Outward in Sweden?). "You are talking about people who have been actively fighting with Turkey for more that 40 years and killing tens of thousands of civilians in the process," Muhammet Kocak, an international relations specialist based in Ankara, told CNBC. Thank you for visiting Scandinavia Facts. Its health service is buckling too. A positive decision would then be presented to parliament for approval early next week. Polls show public support for Nato membership has trebled to about 75% in Finland and surged to about 60% in Sweden. These countries have a shared history, and like many other places in the world, they have experienced periods of unity and disunity. 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. It was part of Sweden for 600 years, and the cultures are similar, a minority of Finns speak Swedish, surely they are Swedish? I've heard Finns described as everything from drunks to the emo kid in the corner to sociopaths. The PKK, which seeks greater . What do Norwegians think of Swedes and Danes? But for as long as the internet has . I hear Taggart's on again! to learn more. Many have pointed to their success as a contrast to Sweden, which has a much higher COVID-19 death rate. Ankara says that the SDC is dominated by PKK terrorists. Scandinavian jokes featuring "the Swede, the Dane and the Norwegian" are commonplace in schools. LOL yes, we're the ones trying to "export out policies." The Almost Nearly Perfect People The Truth About the Nordic Miracle (Jonathan Cape), by Michael Booth, is published on 6 February. Like the Swedes, they embraced privatisation with great enthusiasm (even the ambulance service is privatised); and can seem spectacularly unsophisticated in their race relations (cartoon depictions of black people with big lips and bones through their noses are not uncommon in the national press). For example when the US came and made that whole ASAP Rocky bullshit, the Danish media was all over the place, defending Sweden and condemning America. Your email address will not be published. It's likely. What is considered rude in one country may not be considered rude in another one. It wasnt until 1536, that a new alliance between Norway and Denmark was formed. 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