Map of Scandinavia
Scandinavia takes in 5 countries and territories with a combined population of about 28.26 million across 1.32M km². The interactive map below shows the region, and the tables rank its largest cities, highest mountains, largest lakes, tallest dams and deepest ports.
- Countries
- 5
- Population
- 28.26 million
- Largest Country
- 447,425 km²
- Most Populous
- 10.60 million
Interactive Map of Scandinavia
About Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a subregion of northern Europe that most commonly comprises Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, which share strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties. It may also refer to the Scandinavian Peninsula (which excludes Denmark but includes part of northern Finland). In English usage, the term is also used as a synonym for the Nordic countries. Iceland and the Faroe Islands are sometimes included, due to their ethnolinguistic ties to Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. Although Finland differs from the other Nordic countries in this respect, some authors consider it Scandinavian because of its economic and cultural similarities.
The geography of the region is varied, from the Norwegian fjords in the west and Scandinavian mountains covering parts of Norway and Sweden, to the low and flat areas of Denmark in the south, as well as archipelagos and lakes in the east. Most of the population in the region live in the more temperate southern regions, with the northern parts having long, cold winters.
During the Viking Age Scandinavian peoples participated in large-scale raiding, conquest, colonization and trading mostly throughout Europe. They also used their longships for exploration, becoming the first Europeans to reach North America. These exploits saw the establishment of the North Sea Empire which comprised large parts of Scandinavia and Great Britain, though it was relatively short-lived. Scandinavia was eventually Christianized, and the coming centuries saw various unions of Scandinavian nations, most notably the Kalmar Union of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, which lasted for over 100 years until the Swedish king Gustav I led Sweden out of the union. Denmark and Norway, as well as Schleswig-Holstein, were then united until 1814 as Denmark–Norway. Numerous wars between the nations followed, which shaped the modern borders and led to the establishment of the Swedish Empire in the 17th and early 18th centuries. The most recent Scandinavian union was the union between Sweden and Norway, which ended in 1905.
In modern times the region has prospered, with the economies of the countries being amongst the strongest in Europe.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Scandinavia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Visiting Scandinavia
Scandinavia proper consists of Norway, Sweden and Denmark, of which the former two lie on the Scandinavian peninsula.
In English, the term "Scandinavia" is often used to refer to the Nordic countries, which in addition to these three include Finland and Iceland, and the autonomous Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland. This use is much less common in the Nordic countries themselves. Svalbard and Jan Mayen belong to Norway, but they are not on the Scandinavian Peninsula and are special cases also otherwise.
The Nordic countries share a common history (see Nordic history), their societies resemble each other, and they have far-reaching cooperation, such as a passport union dating back to the 1950s.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Scandinavia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Countries in Scandinavia
Ranked by population. Each links to that country's own map.
Largest Cities in Scandinavia
Top 15 of 110 recorded. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stockholm | 1.26 million | Stockholm | National capital |
| 2 | Helsinki | 1.11 million | Southern Finland | National capital |
| 3 | København | 1.08 million | Hovedstaden | National capital |
| 4 | Oslo | 835,000 | Oslo | National capital |
| 5 | Göteborg | 537,797 | Västra Götaland | Admin-1 capital |
| 6 | Malmö | 269,349 | Skåne | Admin-1 capital |
| 7 | Tampere | 259,279 | Pirkanmaa | Populated place |
| 8 | Århus | 237,551 | Midtjylland | Populated place |
| 9 | Bergen | 213,585 | Hordaland | Populated place |
| 10 | Turku | 175,945 | Finland Proper | Admin-1 capital |
| 11 | Stavanger | 173,132 | Rogaland | Admin-1 capital |
| 12 | Reykjavík | 166,212 | Suðurnes | National capital |
| 13 | Odense | 158,222 | Syddanmark | Populated place |
| 14 | Trondheim | 147,139 | Sør-Trøndelag | Admin-1 capital |
| 15 | Oulu | 136,752 | Northern Ostrobothnia | Admin-1 capital |
Highest Mountains in Scandinavia
Top 10 of 10 recorded. Ranked by summit elevation above sea level. A summit on a border is listed under both countries.
| # | Name | Elevation | Feet | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Galdhpiggen | 2,469 m | 8,100 ft | Europe |
| 2 | Beerenberg | 2,277 m | 7,470 ft | Europe |
| 3 | Kebnekaise | 2,111 m | 6,926 ft | Europe |
| 4 | Hvannadalshnkur | 2,110 m | 6,923 ft | Europe |
| 5 | Oksskolten | 1,916 m | 6,286 ft | Europe |
| 6 | Newtontoppen | 1,713 m | 5,620 ft | Europe |
| 7 | Haltiatunturi | 1,328 m | 4,357 ft | Europe |
| 8 | Olavtoppen | 780 m | 2,559 ft | Seven seas (open ocean) |
| 9 | Ukko Koli | 347 m | 1,138 ft | Europe |
| 10 | Møllehøj | 171 m | 561 ft | Europe |
Largest Lakes in Scandinavia
Top 15 of 37 recorded. Ranked by mapped surface area. A lake on a border is listed under each country it lies in, with the area of the whole lake.
| # | Name | Surface Area | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lake Saimaa | 11,134 km² | Lake |
| 2 | Vänern | 5,856 km² | Lake |
| 3 | Pijnne | 4,189 km² | Lake |
| 4 | Vättern | 1,947 km² | Lake |
| 5 | Mälaren | 1,806 km² | Lake |
| 6 | Inarijrvi | 1,608 km² | Lake |
| 7 | Oulujarvi | 1,210 km² | Reservoir |
| 8 | Pielinen | 1,153 km² | Lake |
| 9 | Pyhjrvi | 1,054 km² | Lake |
| 10 | Lokan Tekojarvi | 538 km² | Reservoir |
| 11 | Storsjön | 506 km² | Lake |
| 12 | Hjälmaren | 506 km² | Lake |
| 13 | Torneträsk | 471 km² | Lake |
| 14 | Uddjaure | 460 km² | Lake |
| 15 | Mhisa | 391 km² | Reservoir |
Ports in Scandinavia
Top 15 of 314 recorded. Ranked by approach channel depth, the figure that limits which ships can call. Harbours link to their write-up on the page of the sea or coast they lie on.
| # | Name | Channel Depth | Class | Sea | Max Vessel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Budir | 56.7 m | Very Small | Norwegian Sea & European Arctic | point_of_interest |
| 2 | Kantlax | 56.7 m | Very Small | Baltic Sea | medium vessels |
| 3 | Christianso Harbor | 56.7 m | Very Small | Baltic Sea | medium vessels |
| 4 | Frederikssund | 56.7 m | Very Small | Skagerrak & Kattegat | medium vessels |
| 5 | Skaelskor | 56.7 m | Very Small | Skagerrak & Kattegat | medium vessels |
| 6 | Stege | 56.7 m | Very Small | Baltic Sea | medium vessels |
| 7 | Sakskobing | 56.7 m | Small | Skagerrak & Kattegat | medium vessels |
| 8 | Rudkobing | 56.7 m | Small | Skagerrak & Kattegat | medium vessels |
| 9 | Kerteminde | 56.7 m | Very Small | Skagerrak & Kattegat | medium vessels |
| 10 | Lemvig | 56.7 m | Very Small | North Sea | medium vessels |
| 11 | Ringkobing | 56.7 m | Very Small | North Sea | point_of_interest |
| 12 | Tuborg | 56.7 m | Very Small | Skagerrak & Kattegat | medium vessels |
| 13 | Egersund | 53 m | Very Small | North Sea | medium vessels |
| 14 | Slite | 53 m | Small | Baltic Sea | medium vessels |
| 15 | Vaja | 53 m | Very Small | Baltic Sea | large vessels |
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Scandinavia
Top 15 of 43 recorded. Listed by year of inscription, earliest first. Sites shared with another country appear under each.
| # | Name | Inscribed | Type | Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bryggen | 1979 | Cultural | (iii) |
| 2 | Urnes Stave Church | 1979 | Cultural | (i) (ii) (iii) |
| 3 | Røros Mining Town and the Circumference | 1980 | Cultural | (iii) (iv) (v) |
| 4 | Rock carvings at Alta | 1985 | Cultural | (iii) |
| 5 | Drottningholm Palace | 1991 | Cultural | (iv) |
| 6 | Old Rauma | 1991 | Cultural | (iv) (v) |
| 7 | Suomenlinna | 1991 | Cultural | (iv) |
| 8 | Birka and Hovgården | 1993 | Cultural | (iii) (iv) |
| 9 | Engelsberg Ironworks | 1993 | Cultural | (iv) |
| 10 | Jelling Heritage Site | 1994 | Cultural | (iii) |
| 11 | Petäjävesi Old Church | 1994 | Cultural | (iv) |
| 12 | Rock Carvings in Tanum | 1994 | Cultural | (i) (iii) (iv) |
| 13 | Skogskyrkogården | 1994 | Cultural | (ii) (iv) |
| 14 | Hanseatic town of Visby | 1995 | Cultural | (iv) (v) |
| 15 | Roskilde Cathedral | 1995 | Cultural | (ii) (iv) |
Largest Islands of Scandinavia
Top 14 of 14 recorded. Ranked by mapped area. An island divided between countries is listed under each, with the area of the whole island.
| # | Name | Area | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Svalbard | 283,881 km² | Island group |
| 2 | Iceland | 182,961 km² | Island |
| 3 | Spitsbergen | 38,337 km² | Island |
| 4 | Nordaustlandet | 14,416 km² | Island |
| 5 | Vesterålen | 7,918 km² | Island |
| 6 | Zealand | 7,045 km² | Island |
| 7 | Føroyar | 6,257 km² | Island group |
| 8 | Edgeøya | 5,392 km² | Island |
| 9 | Gotland | 2,942 km² | Island |
| 10 | Frisian Islands | 2,564 km² | Island group |
| 11 | Jan Mayen | 455 km² | Island |
| 12 | Kvitøya | 244 km² | Island |
| 13 | Bjørnøya | 192 km² | Island |
| 14 | Lofoten | 75 km² | Island |
Mountain Ranges, Deserts and Landforms of Scandinavia
Top 15 of 32 recorded. Ranked by mapped area. Covers mountain ranges, deserts, plateaus, named glaciers, plains, basins, peninsulas and capes. One that crosses a border is listed under every country it lies in, with the area of the whole feature.
| # | Name | Area | Type | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Europe | 11.24M km² | Continent | Europe |
| 2 | Queen Maud Land | 334,849 km² | Geoarea | Antarctica |
| 3 | KjøLen Mountains | 220,083 km² | Range/mtn | Europe |
| 4 | Karelia | 200,349 km² | Geoarea | Europe |
| 5 | Scandinavia | 114,532 km² | Pen/cape | Europe |
| 6 | Finnish Lake Region | 89,520 km² | Geoarea | Europe |
| 7 | Lapland | 37,144 km² | Geoarea | Europe |
| 8 | Jutland | 30,621 km² | Geoarea | Europe |
| 9 | Vatnajökull | 9,000 km² | Range/mtn | Europe |
| 10 | Vatnajökull | 8,492 km² | Glaciated areas | — |
| 11 | Negribreen | 8,236 km² | Glaciated areas | — |
| 12 | Brasvellbreen | 8,179 km² | Glaciated areas | — |
| 13 | Finnmarks-vidda | 7,272 km² | Plateau | Europe |
| 14 | Holtedahlfonna | 5,284 km² | Glaciated areas | — |
| 15 | Hardanger-vidda | 2,806 km² | Range/mtn | Europe |
Scandinavia: Quick Answers
- How many countries are in Scandinavia?
- YearMaps maps 5 countries and territories in Scandinavia: Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Iceland. Definitions of Scandinavia vary; this list follows a common convention.
- What is the largest country in Scandinavia?
- Sweden is the largest by area at 447,425 km². Sweden has the largest population, about 10.60 million.
- What is the largest city in Scandinavia?
- Stockholm is the largest city recorded for Scandinavia, with a metropolitan population of about 1.26 million.
- What is the highest mountain in Scandinavia?
- Galdhpiggen is the highest summit recorded for Scandinavia in YearMaps, at 2,469 m.
- What is the largest lake in Scandinavia?
- Lake Saimaa is the largest lake recorded in Scandinavia, at about 11,134 km².