"A Song of Ice and Fire: Norwegian Fjords, Finnish Aurora Borealis, and Danish Fairy Tales"

Nordic usually refers to the five Nordic countries, including Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Iceland. However, sometimes people may have different understandings of the scope due to differences in geographical or cultural associations. The following is a detailed introduction to the five Nordic countries: 1. Denmark Location: Located on the Jutland Peninsula and nearby islands, bordering Germany, it is the "gateway" to Northern Europe. Capital: Copenhagen. Language: Danish, with a high prevalence of English. Features: Kingdom of Fairy Tales: Home of Hans Christian Andersen, home to The Little Mermaid statue. Design Capital: Known for its simple and practical design (such as B&O audio, HAY furniture). Welfare Society: High taxes and high welfare, free medical care and education. LEGO Origin: Billund is home to the LEGO Group headquarters. 2. Sweden Location: The eastern half of the Scandinavian Peninsula, bordering Norway and Finland. Capital: Stockholm. Language: Swedish, English is commonly used. Features: Innovation Country: The birthplace of global brands such as IKEA, Spotify, and Volvo. Natural Wonders: Has the aurora borealis in Lapland and the Ice Hotel in Kiruna. Equal Society: The world's leading gender equality index, promoting "father-only parental leave." Nobel Prize: Stockholm is the Nobel Prize awarding place. 3. Norway Location: The west side of the Scandinavian Peninsula, with a long and winding coastline ("Land of Fjords"). Capital: Oslo. Language: Norwegian, similar to Danish and Swedish. Features: Fjord Scenery: The Sognefjord and Geirangerfjord are listed as World Heritage Sites. Oil Wealth: The North Sea oil fields have made it one of the richest countries in the world. Aurora Borealis Destination: Tromsø and Alta are popular places to watch the aurora borealis. Environmental Pioneer: Plans to become a carbon neutral country by 2030. 4. Finland Location: The easternmost of the five Nordic countries, bordering Russia, known as the "Land of a Thousand Lakes." Capital: Helsinki. Language: Finnish (belonging to the Uralic language family, which differs greatly from surrounding languages). Features: Education Model: PISA test has long been in the top three in the world, emphasizing equality and creativity. Sauna Culture: The number of saunas in the country exceeds the population, and public saunas are free. "Nokia" Label: Once the global mobile phone industry leader. Aurora Borealis and Santa Claus: Rovaniemi is the location of the officially certified Santa Claus Village. 5. Iceland (often included in the Nordic category) Location: An island nation in the North Atlantic Ocean, close to the Arctic Circle. Capital: Reykjavik. Language: Icelandic, retaining a large number of Old Norse words. Features: Volcanoes and Geothermal: Blue Lagoon Hot Springs, geysers, and volcanic landforms are everywhere. Aurora Borealis Paradise: A great place to observe the aurora borealis in winter, and has the midnight sun in summer. Small Country and Few People: The population is only 370,000, and the happiness index is among the top five in the world all year round. "Viking Spirit": Historically known for its tradition of exploration and autonomy. Common Features of Northern Europe Social Welfare: Universal health insurance, free education, and high unemployment relief. Equality Concept: Gender equality, small income gap (the world's lowest Gini coefficient). Nature Worship: Strong environmental awareness, high proportion of renewable energy (such as 99% of Iceland's electricity comes from geothermal). Low-Key Luxury: Simple design (such as IKEA, HAY), focusing on practicality rather than ostentatious consumption. Common Misconceptions Clarification Does Iceland belong to Northern Europe? Geographically, Iceland is located in the Atlantic Ocean, but it is usually included in Northern Europe due to its close cultural, political and economic ties. Northern Europe and the five Nordic countries: The five Nordic countries + the Faroe Islands, Greenland (an autonomous territory of Denmark), and the Åland Islands (an autonomous province of Finland) constitute the Nordic region. Summary The five Nordic countries are known for their high welfare, natural wonders, equal society and innovative spirit, and are synonymous with the "ideal life" in the minds of many people. Whether it is the fjords of Norway, the aurora borealis of Finland, or the design of Denmark and the environmental protection practices of Sweden, they all demonstrate a unique model of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature and society.