Known for its rolling lowlands and beautiful mountains; Sweden is a temperate location with a population of 9,960,095 people. For another deep-dive into Scandinavian looks, Ive plowed through massive amounts of archaeological objects and DNA analysis to find out how Vikings actually looked (how big they were, how they wore their hair, where they came from, their hair and eye color, etc. Ultimately, theres a lot more to the Scandinavian peninsula than Ikea, minimalist designs, and breathtaking fashion. The men sport scraggly beards and brutish, battle-worn facial features. According to the data, those of Celtic ancestry in Scotland and Cornwall are more similar . Everything you need to know about travelling in Scandinavia. Viking identity was not limited to people with Scandinavian genetic ancestry. Scandification 2023. Blonde hair is highly prized in many parts of the world, but it is merely an everyday thing in Sweden. Although many of the dishes are basic, theyre also packed full of amazing fresh and natural ingredients making them highly healthy and nutritious. Whether youre exploring the frozen fjords or hiking along one of Denmarks incredible nature paths, the opportunities for breath-taking scenery are endless. Anyway, I just had my DNA tested and I'm 67% Scandinavian. Add this one to your bucket list. 6. 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. And because Scandinavian women fit those four main characteristics, people often consider them the most beautiful women in the world. Your email address will not be published. Scandification is a participant in Amazon Service LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated websites. In summary, it seems Scandinavians from before the Viking age looked a bit different from todays Scandis, with multiple migration waves that settled in the region up until the iron age being quite diverse in looks and origins. A group of some of the most beautiful countries in the world, Scandinavia doesnt just offer amazing travel opportunities. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Facts about Scandinavia: Everything you need to know (and more). A reason non-Scandinavians can believe this is the difference between cultural norms. Theyd pick someone up on the side of the road if they were lost, and they frequently donate a lot to charitable organisations. Theres very little to worry about when living in Scandinavia. They have had more success doing this than you might imagine, and this has helped further solidify their reputation as a place that hates war and wants people to avoid conflict. History Theres the option to stay in hotels with glass ceilings, or your own personal igloo. Located near the Baltic Sea, Sweden is one of the largest countries in Europe based on land mass. Scientifically speaking, there are a couple of factors that could play in the Scandinavians favor as far as sexual selection and attractiveness go: I want to point out that beauty is entirely objective, and what is considered attractive for some may not be for others. The Scandinavian Personality Traits have been under investigation since the late 1800's. There have been multiple publications that have looked at how the Scandinavian Personality Traits are prevalent as much as the light hair and light eyes are prevalent in people with heritage in this region of Europe. The Swedish concept of individualism is often practiced to avoid bothering others. Sweden has produced many amazing hit pop songs and contributed to many others. They believe that taking care of their own problems means that they wont have to bother anyone else with them. Another way to avoid conflicts is to not act in a brash way, but instead trying to display oneself as being humble. Because the Scandinavian people bring fewer politics into their workplace, the environment feels freer and more comfortable. Graphs Swedish people features and stereotypes include that they tend to be tall, have blue eyes, fair skin, and blond hair. Rarely both. Not every piece is hung up in a museum somewhere. The average height in Sweden is nearly 5 feet 11 inches tall, making it ranked eighth in the world for height. Please read our. A possible explanation is that the Viking settlements in the northeast coast of the . It is unlikely that someone in Sweden will have guests over without careful planning ahead of time. People in Scandinavia dont have to pay to get assistance from a doctor, and there are benefits available if you cant find work. 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. Additionally, rather than having to earn the trust and respect of their employers, employees already have those things when they join the team. Germanic Thanks Jonna for your comment, and Im happy to hear you enjoyed the article! This may be because Swedish personality traits lean towards open-mindedness and a desire for knowledge and exploration. 4. All Scandinavians are wealthy. Of course, not every Swedish person can be lumped into the same categories, but most agree that those traits are typical of . It turns out that Scandinavians are more closely related to the Kostenki man than any other now-living population. An interesting thing about this is the fact that pale skin is considered highly desirable among many types of people. It may also be a reason why . These are the people that are happy to let people have their own opinions and continue with life as normal without a debate. Overall, the scientists found that people who lived in Scandinavia exhibited high levels of non-Scandinavian ancestry, pointing to a continuous exchange of genetic information across the broader . When someone is dealing with a Swedish person, they can rest assured that they are dealing with someone who is likely to deal with them in a fair and forthright manner. One of the most notable aspects of Swedish culture is their respect for the environment and commitment to sustainability. The lighter hair color isnt genetically unique to this part of the world, but it is one of the Swedish physical characteristics that most people are likely to notice right off the bat. The idea of Jantelov isnt to see yourself as any less than you are but to recognise the inherent value of every individual person. Symbolism Or perhaps it is the fact that they have survived being prepared for the worse, and thus continue to think that way. Nordic Traits People with Scandinavian . Bokml is more widely used by about 85 percent of Norwegians. This crossword clue was last seen on February 21 2023 LA Times Crossword puzzle. Scandinavians as a whole are part of a group of ethnicities (along with Finns, English, Irish, Estonians, Latvians, Lithuanians, Polish, Hungarians, and Russians) where the Epicanthic fold is occurring more than in other European populations, but still at a much lower frequency than for example Asian ethnicities. Norway Because of this, descriptions of the Scandinavian region have started to include places like Greenland, the Faroe Islands, and even Iceland. The population of the nation is 337,780, which would make it the smallest of all the Scandinavian countries. Physical characteristics of Welsh people include black or ginger hair, blue or green eyes, and a slightly below average height. So, whens the best time to visit to get the most out of the Scandinavian weather? The coastlines in Denmark cover 4,545 miles, and the total land area is 16,638 square miles. The IceHotel is an area in the north of the country where temperatures are very low throughout most of the year and permafrost exists. ), How the Dutch & Scandinavians Are Connected (Complete Guide), Norse vs. Norwegian vs. Nordic: Differences Explained, Average Height in the Nordics (Data & Graphs), https://kaw.wallenberg.org/forskning/atlas-med-forhistoriskt-dna-ger-ny-bild-av-manniskans-ursprung. Shopping The population of Finland is around 5,542,517 people making it a relatively small country. Scientists have posited many theories on why Scandinavian people have light . They are also known to be somewhat shy and to be humble and less than warm to the eye of people coming by for an unplanned visit. Some people may see this as a rude Swedish trait, but it is not meant that way at all. I don't know why people assume you must be blond to have Scandinavian heritage, and we should stop perpetuating that assumption. Lets keep digging and see exactly how different ancient Scandinavians were from us modern Scandis. He was a Swedish engineer, chemist, and the inventor of dynamite. But spend a few days in the country and youll definitely start to notice some physical traits appearing more often than others. For instance, the weather in Denmark typically follows a climate for the marine west coast thats pretty common for its location. 15 of the very best Danish TV shows on Netflix, A Guide to the Best Hotels in Copenhagen, Denmark. In fact, when it comes to Scandinavian nature, there are a handful of things that you simply have to add to your bucket list. You sound like you are jealous of white people. That said, blue eyes are also rare throughout the world, and that makes them more desirable to many others. The terms Scandinavian and Nordic are closely related and often erroneously used interchangeably. Did you know that Alfred Nobel (for whom the Nobel Prize is named) was Swedish? So there is at least something to the myth from a North American perspective (beauty standards differ around the world, after all). 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. Try to keep this in mind in your dealings with anyone from Sweden. It is believed that the Denisovans had certain physical characteristics, including facial features, that people commonly associated with Asian populations. Thats usually because they dont have the same sun, sea, and sand to offer. People in the north of Europe traditionally consume a lot of fatty fish, rye bread, and root vegetables which have been shown to offer excellent health benefits. Subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest Nordic resources, insights, tips, hidden gems, and much more. After all, if youre familiar with facts about Scandinavia, then youll know that all of the countries in the peninsula love their food. Sweden is so opposed to war that they will sometimes send their own people to areas where there is conflict to teach them about the benefits of avoiding war. Movies How do the modern-day Scandinavians compare to their ancestors? For example, between 24-27% of people who are native to Finland, parts of Western Europe, or Great Britain, show Scandinavian DNA. Only about 8 to 10 percent of the world is believed to have blue eyes. Peter Frost also supports this in his study titled European hair and eye color; finding that at least 60% of Scandinavian people have a light head of hair, and at least 50% have light eyes. 1. We wanted to share some of the most interesting and impactful things that Swedish people are known for. One of the Swedish characteristics that people sometimes take for granted is how humble they are as a people. While most people belong to the Lutheran Church of Norway, it by no means indicates that they go to church or even believe in a higher power. Additionally, the same is true for the southern areas in Sweden. Will heads up Scandifications tech-team, occasionally reviewing the best of Scandinavian tech and design. A survey by Hotels.com and Match.com asked 5000 Nordic singles in 2014 which Nordic country has the most attractive people, and here are the results: Singles in Norway, Denmark, and Finland all voted for Swedes as the most attractive (you could not vote for your own country), while the Swedes overwhelmingly seem to prefer Norwegian women and men. Most Swedes have blue eyes. As such, it was common that people wanted to hide their Sami heritage, with some even being ashamed of typically Sami features such as high cheekbones and wider eyes (SvD 2012). Some researchers have suggested that some modern Icelanders share a genetic makeup with an ancient people group from Asia, called Denisovans.. One of the Swedish personality traits that is often mistaken as coldness is their individualism. Scandinavia, historically Scandia, part of northern Europe, generally held to consist of the two countries of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Norway and Sweden, with the addition of Denmark. 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. You can view the incredible sparkling of the sky from countless locations across Finland, Iceland, and other locations in Scandinavia. That means that employees arent always trying to figure out the hidden meaning behind co-worker jibes. Outside extreme muscle competitions, the fact that Scandinavians are among the tallest people in the world suggests some additional muscle mass along with the extra height. How are Scandinavians (Swedes, Danes, Norwegians) so tall? In his last will of 1895, he devoted a large amount of his . Swedes are also well known for their pessimistic outlook. Fashion This is according to genetic research by Medland et al. (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. However, Scandinavia isnt always as frozen as it may seem. . The First Scandinavians Where Dark-skinned and Blue-eyed. It turns out that Swedes dont even like to discuss politics all that much. You shouldnt come on too strong when you first meet someone from Sweden. This way of living is called lagom, and is a large part of Nordic philosophy. That is, they are not meaning to cut you out from their life or make things challenging. Countries in Scandinavia are packed full of incredible culture, amazing sights, and unforgettable experiences that you cant find anywhere else in the world. Yes, in every country or area, people have specific physical traits, but Dutch DNA is complicated and intertwined. What the Swedes have discovered (that the rest of the world could perhaps learn from!) Norway is also an excellent destination to visit if youre interested in seeing the northern lights. To an outsider, Scandinavia can seem like a group of small, difficult-to-tell-apart Nordic countries. High cheekbones werent always seen as a positive trait in the Nordic region though, as it was fairly common for the Germanic Scandinavians to look down upon the Finno-Ugric Samis as less civilized, at least up until the late 20th century. Blue eyes are not as resistant to sunlight as other colors (such as brown). Most people from the Nordics have light eyes and hair, and are quite tall compared to other nationalities. Is the origin of this theory SVTs The first Swedes ? Fika Western Norway has almost as many redheads as the British isles (who win the red hair race by a mile), whereas southern and northern Sweden barely has any. The characteristic of this minority is debated: while some see it as an ethnic group of its own some view it purely as a linguistic minority. Gods & Goddesses I consent to the privacy policy and terms and conditions. It seems the research project is well-funded too (https://kaw.wallenberg.org/forskning/atlas-med-forhistoriskt-dna-ger-ny-bild-av-manniskans-ursprung), so they seem to have the best tools available to analyze this type of scientific data. Check it out if youre curious! However, Iceland has one of the most varied landscapes, with waterfalls, canyons, sulphur beds, lava fields, and hot springs. Music What are typical Swedish personality traits? While the people of Scandinavia emerged from Northern Europe, the people of Finland emigrated from the east. Hooded eyes are prevalent in the Scandinavian population, and studies have shown that about 18 percent of northern Europeans have so-called sagging eyelids (which is related to hooded eyes but more specifically excess skin over your eye that may or may not disrupt your vision). Emotions are not expressed as . Theres nothing quite like a chilly night watching the snow in Norway or Denmark, for instance. On top of that, theres a common practice among Scandinavian people to say what you mean and mean what you say. According to Hofstede Insights, Sweden is a 'feminine society' in which balance, inclusivity and consideration for others are core components of the social structure. This may sound like quite a generalization (then again, isnt everything on this list!) Denmark is brimming with low and flat planes, and the temperature is cool, with humid summers and mild winters. Native to northern Scandinavia, recognized as the oldest indigenous peoples of the North, the Sami people live in four countries. Finland Avoid manager-focused recognition. Whether the Scandinavian beauty myth is real or not is hard to say, but Nordic magazine The Local listed Beautiful Women and Handsome Men among the top 10 things US expats notice after theyve lived in Sweden for a while. If you look exclusively at the original 3 countries in Scandinavia, then the region covers about 358,325 square miles and is home to approximately 21 million people. The Scotland's DNA project, led by Edinburgh University's Dr Jim Wilson, has tested almost 1,000 Scots in the last four months to determine the genetic roots of people in the country. Everyone's house looks like an IKEA showroom. Scientists are now able to create eerily realistic facial reconstructions, getting us closer than ever to finding out who they were and what the Vikings looked like. You may also be interested in: Do Swedish People Speak English (So You Can Live There)? 10945. It should be noted that human length, in general, is determined by a mixture of nature (genes) and nurture (diet), and there are also regions of the world that are believed to have a taller or shorter average height due to primarily genetic reasonssuch as the short Pygmee people of central Africa, and the tall Dinka people of South Sudan. You can see this every Swedish National Day, when the royal women come out in full Swedish traditional clothing which looks great! Data This has served them well, and it is now a staple of the way that many people in the country behave. People with blue eyes have the same genetic mutation that causes eyes to produce less melanin. Since freckles are thought to be connected to the same genes as red hair, we can assume that between 1-10% of the Scandinavian populationagain depending on where in Scandinavia you arehas freckles, which means they are also more sensitive to UV light. Its the only place in the country where youll see an amazing range of flora and fauna, as well as stunning high chalk cliffs and clear blue water. The amount of curly-haired people in the Nordics is furthermore a much lesser part of the population compared to the rest of Europe. Spontaneous visits to someone are rare, and they may even be considered rude. He ultimately returned to his native Malm with his love, where they now have 3 Swedish-American boys eager to explore the world. We couldnt bring an end to this Scandinavian facts guide without giving you an insight into some of the incredible food youll find in the region. Dont mistake this lack of warmth as being anti-social though. The truth, as always, is a little more complicated than a simple good or bad. In the rest of the Nordics (namely Iceland, Finland, and the Faroe Islands) the people tend to look very similar to the Scandinavians, with especially Finland having a very large majority of their population being light-haired (blonde, light-brown, red) and light-eyed (blue, green, grey) according to Peter Frost. It should also be added that the countries around the Dinaric Alps in Western Balkans would place in the top if S.E. The study shows the genetic history of Scandinavia was influenced by foreign genes from Asia and Southern Europe . Yes the origins and visual characteristics of the first Scandinavians were discussed in the SVT article (https://www.svt.se/nyheter/vetenskap/de-var-de-forsta-svenskarna), but more specifically this theory comes from research by Mattias Johansson, professor of genetics at Uppsala University. 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. 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. When you couple this with the opportunity to spend time on athletic endeavors and have access to a protein-rich and generally plentiful diet it is easier to see why some Nordic people tend to generally do well in muscle competitions. Whether you've heard rumors of polar bears wreaking havoc . Even the most adamant pessimist can find something to love about what they see throughout the country. Scandinavians do have curly hair, but as weve established most of them have wavy or straight hair. just as you were surprised to see Scandinavian and English DNA. It has been presented that the ethnic group can also be perceived as a distinct Swedish-speaking nationality in Finland. The numerous finds of combs show that people combed their hair regularly. A DNA study of Britons has shown that genetically there is not a unique Celtic group of people in the UK. In fact, one of the traits of Swedish women is a desire to participate in decision-making. This will help you to find more time to go out hiking and sightseeing which is essential given the beautiful landscapes available to explore. One of the best reasons to include Iceland in the Scandinavian region is that it offers some of the most impressive sights in the world. Although most Swedes look naturally sun-kissed, the reality is that they spend much of their time living in darkness (like beautiful Scandinavian moles). 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). Stockholm document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Scandification explores and celebrates the magic of Scandinavia. As well as offering plenty of unique cultures and stores to explore, the region is also packed full of great food too. The average height in Sweden is 175.5cm, which is the same height as your average model. In the second hostel where I stayed, a Taiwanese guy told me about receiving a card from a Swedish bank. 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). Of course, most famously, the band ABBA is from Sweden, and they were a big hit throughout the world. Swedish girl names: Your list of top Swedish female names, Swedish boy names: Popular Swedish male names, Viking video games: Video games with Viking and Norse mythology, The Best Bike Tours in Copenhagen, Denmark. If you include Finland and Iceland in the Scandinavian Peninsula, they add even more diversity to the landscape. Not just in the big city of Stockholm, . Despite great progress on issues such as social equality, the Swedish people are not known for being boastful. While you may be excited to get to know them and learn more about them, they are unlikely to feel the same, at least in the beginning. Stay tuned and well bring the essence of Scandinavia to you. Hellcat, take your hatred of Americans somewhere else. Ive compared them thoroughly in different categories and analyzed what online critics on IMDb and other sites think, in order to answer which show is the best of the three. It is very common to see Swedish physical traits of blonde hair, blue eyes, a tall figure, pale skin, and thin lips. The traits for a Scandinavian management style was defined in an article in MandagMorgen, 22 June 2004: . 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. When you go to a Scandinavian house, expect to remove your shoes in the hallway. Frequently derided by right-wing politicians as an example of everything wrong with Big . Design Swedish personality characteristics include humbleness, open-mindedness, honesty, creativity, quietness, competitiveness, and fairness. Sweden is bordered by Finland to the east, and Norway to the west, sitting on the Gulf of Bothnia and the Baltic Sea. 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. Scandinavian people take a moderate approach to all things in lifefrom food to work. As weve established, most Nordic people today have brightly colored eyes, with some areas reaching up to 80% of the population (P. Frost 2006). Many of the Scandinavian countries are becoming increasingly diverse but they remain to be some of the safest places on the planet. Research done into the DNA of the Irish has shown that our old understanding of where the population of Ireland originated may have been misguided. To sum it up, the average Swedes, Norwegians, Danes, Finns, and Icelanders are all very tall compared to the rest of the world. Europe had been split up into smaller sub-regions, as these countries are among the tallest in the world. The official Scandi countries rank second, third and fourth on the list of the world's tallest people, pipped only by the Dutch. So other than the color of the eyes, lets look at which other eye characteristics are unique or interesting in the Scandinavian region. The social events that they do attend are planned well in advance, and they are given notice so that they can prepare themselves for this type of socializing. On the other hand, Iceland is found just west of Ireland and southeast of Greenland, just below the Arctic Circle. How Did Vikings Actually Look? Throughout America and England, many employees feel as though they need to be connected to their phone and email 24/7, just in case. 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). This goes back to the fact that they are a humble group of people who are not keen on boasting about their accomplishments. Usually, the climate in Norway is relatively cold and wet, but its still home to around 5,353,363 people. The largest city in Sweden is Stockholm, which is located on the eastern coast of the country. 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. Finally, dont forget to take in the Swedish art that dots the landscape throughout the country. These individuals believe in "everything in moderation.".