Theres a lot more to Scandinavian people traits than a Viking or model physique and a great sense of fashion. 2. Countries in Scandinavia are packed full of incredible culture, amazing sights, and unforgettable experiences that you cant find anywhere else in the world. The average height of both males and females is high in Scandinavian countries when you look on a global scale, with the Nordic countries all ranking among the tallest 20 countries, and all with a male average height over 180 cm (5 ft 10 in). All Rights Reserved. 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. For instance, theres a genuine sense of equality in Scandinavian workplaces. Stockholm Lets keep digging and see exactly how different ancient Scandinavians were from us modern Scandis. 1. Notable Nordic winners of the strongman competition include Icelands Hafr Jlus Bjrnsson (of Game of Thrones fame as Ser Gregor Clegane/The Mountain) and Swedens Magnus Samuelsson (who features in the series The Last Kingdom as the Viking band member Clapa). Swedish women are easy to . Did you know that Alfred Nobel (for whom the Nobel Prize is named) was Swedish? The people from the south had blue eyes and relatively dark skin. The other 15 percent uses Nynorsk, which translates to 'new Norwegian.'. Blue eyes are not as resistant to sunlight as other colors (such as brown). On the other hand, further north, theres a more subarctic climate similar to the weather youd find in Finland. People with blue eyes have the same genetic mutation that causes eyes to produce less melanin. Top Articles 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. Let's take a look in detail at some of the most common perceptions of people from this fascinating region. Science Theyd pick someone up on the side of the road if they were lost, and they frequently donate a lot to charitable organisations. 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). Symbolism Anyway, I just had my DNA tested and I'm 67% Scandinavian. People in Scandinavia dont have to pay to get assistance from a doctor, and there are benefits available if you cant find work. The Scandinavian peninsula wont give you the sunny beaches and warm weather that you can expect from locations like Morocco or Spain. Although some typical Swedish characteristics may be more well-known than others, Im fairly confident youll find these quickly coming out when you start to chat with the Swedes as you should, as theyre definitely a lot of fun! Scandinavian people take a moderate approach to all things in lifefrom food to work. This will help you to find more time to go out hiking and sightseeing which is essential given the beautiful landscapes available to explore. 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. Many of the people in Scandinavian countries are defined as compassionate and accommodating. Malm People would never abandon a fellow man in need, and the majority of citizens are extremely generous. Alfred Nobel. Ive written an analysis of The Last Kingdom if you want to find out if its worth watching or not. This is a common trait of people from Sweden as they are more shy than most other people from around the world. Because we don't like dirt being dragged all over the house. Commitment to health: Scandinavian people believe in eating well, looking after themselves, and exercising. How are Scandinavians (Swedes, Danes, Norwegians) so tall? Read Article Now. There is a lot of pomp to these types of events (safe to say that the Swedish flag has a lot of meaning to people on those days! The most important we can think of right now are that girls from Scandinavia are: . The Nordic countries are a geographic region which consists of Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Greenland, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Finland, and land.Though these regions have a shared cultural history, they contain culturally distinct historical populations, including the Smi people and the Norse . To an outsider, Scandinavia can seem like a group of small, difficult-to-tell-apart Nordic countries. Subscribe to Weird World: http://bit.ly/WeirdWorldSub #vikings #interesting #weirdworld-----. Instead, one of the Swedish traits that many people pick up on is the fact that they like to stay back and remain quiet. Most Norwegian People Can Speak English. Theres no guarantee that it will show on any given night but the colourful lights are visible about 200 nights each year. Karl, Clothes What the Swedes have discovered (that the rest of the world could perhaps learn from!) There are other subtle Swedish design influences throughout the world. Norway Third, Scandinavians do tend to tan and get olive-skinned in the summer, which is due to a mix of genetic makeup, unusually high UV exposure levels, and a diet generally high in Vitamin D. Scandinavians do not have particularly large noses, as Northern Europeans tend to have more narrow noses than people in warmer climates, as an adaptation to the cooler climate. . Language You should NOT take this with offense. is the fact that remaining quiet allows them to take in more information. 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). 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. So what do the rest of the Nordics look like? So the theory is that on top of any Vitamin D youd get from the sun, Scandinavians have also stocked up on it via their fish intake. You will be surprised how accurate it is! 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. Ive writtenan article where I go into detail about Viking traits and looks, so if you want to find out more about Vikings looks go take a look. These Scandinavian women traits are not true for all Scandinavian girls, as every girl in Scandinavia is more unique than you would think. Scandinavian people also have traditionally had a diet rich in protein, fat, and carbs (crucial for significant muscle growth). Are Scandinavians and Nordics especially strong? 3 The notion of ' folkhemmet ' ('the people's home') is a metaphor for the nation of Sweden as a family household. Vikings vs. Last Kingdom vs. Game of Thrones, Curious how The Last Kingdom compares to Vikings, and how they both compare to Game of Thrones? The country continues to take the lead on issues such as creating sustainable sources of energy and working towards including more women in positions of power. He ultimately returned to his native Malm with his love, where they now have 3 Swedish-American boys eager to explore the world. In many ways, Swedes prefer to listen to others as opposed to ensuring that their own voice is heard. This means that someone who has blue eyes may have a more difficult time avoiding eye damage when they are exposed to a lot of sunlight. Read Article Now. 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. You can see the nights sky in ways that you never have before, and the experience is awe-inspiring. 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). 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. The largest city in Sweden is Stockholm, which is located on the eastern coast of the country. Theres the option to stay in hotels with glass ceilings, or your own personal igloo. There are major works of art that are placed in places as routine as the metro stations that people use every day. For instance, Scandinavian people could leave a baby stroller on the street outside of a store . It is fairly typical for quietness to be mentioned among Swedish peoples traits. Specifically, the number of women in Swedens parliament has been roughly half of the entire parliament for many years now. That said, blue eyes are also rare throughout the world, and that makes them more desirable to many others. While Scandinavian people indulge in sweet treats and fatty foods, they don't binge too often. Denmark is home to approximately 5,747,830 people as of the 2018 census. When it comes to writing, there are two different versions of written Norwegian; Bokml and Nynorsk. Brands from Sweden: What are the most famous Swedish brands? That said, beards are currently fairly popular in the Nordics, as they were during the Viking Age (when insulting another mans beard could lead to death). There is a word in the Swedish language that refers to the coffee break that many people take throughout their work day. I love this site, and I dont want to make sound as Im complaining now but I must say that I am very skeptical of the dark-skinned and blue-eyed people who are said to be the first Scandinavians. People who had access to more or better food in the Viking age were often taller than the average person due to having . Common Traits of Scandinavian Women. Viking identity was not limited to people with Scandinavian genetic ancestry. The project . There are plenty of places you can visit to get a closer look at the fjords, including Sognefjord, Geirangerfjord and more. We wanted to share some of the most interesting and impactful things that Swedish people are known for. Second, early Scandinavian ancestors are thought to have been dark-skinned, but after mixing with other populations and adapting to the geographical area this trait eventually disappeared. Throw in some of their dry, slightly dark humor and youve got a great, hilarious night out. Some regions have more than 10% redheads, while others only have around 1-3%. Although many of the dishes are basic, theyre also packed full of amazing fresh and natural ingredients making them highly healthy and nutritious. Shopping The two species met and started having reproductive relationships in modern-day Israel some 60 000 years ago, before ultimately clashing and resulting in the demise of the Neanderthals. When you don't remove your shoes before entering our house. Whats more, according to some insights into Scandinavian culture, the countries are also far more committed to health, fitness, and wellness than other regions. . Certain sources emphasise this, such as an anonymous letter written in Old English. For instance, Scandinavian people could leave a baby stroller on the street outside of a store, and they wouldnt be worried that something would happen to it. This means hotter summer and longer days. Swedish design techniques have left their impact on the planet. (And the usual caveat for lists like this: not every Swede is going to be identical, nor are they all going to have the exact same personality traits. Nordic The gene variant is particularly common in Scandinavia, and can be traced back to Viking DNA, when it appears to . He was a Swedish engineer, chemist, and the inventor of dynamite. Since the Scandinavian region comes with a bit of confusion attached to it, lets look at each of the countries in Scandinavia a little more closely. Nordic spring/summer): First off, there are plenty of people with darker skin in todays Scandinavia, but they generally have more than just Scandinavian heritage in their family. (Also see Why Do Norwegians Hate Swedes and Danes? . He left Sweden at 19 to explore the world, and stayed abroad for almost 8 yearsduring which he backpacked, worked every job there was, earned a degree from UC Berkeley, and met the future mother of his children. Add this one to your bucket list. Food Some people may see this as a rude Swedish trait, but it is not meant that way at all. These events are simply more carefully planned and coordinated than they are in other countries. There are no scientific studies suggesting Scandinavians, or any other people for that matter, are considered more attractive than others. The skeletons that the archaeologists have found, reveals, that a man was around 172 cm tall (5.6 ft), and a woman had an average height of 158 cm (5,1 ft). Because the Scandinavian people bring fewer politics into their workplace, the environment feels freer and more comfortable. Theres a little bit of controversy here, as different people seem to hold their own opinions about whether certain countries should be featured in the Scandinavian peninsula. 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. As well as offering plenty of unique cultures and stores to explore, the region is also packed full of great food too. According to a 2020 study published in The Lancet, Danes are the 4th tallest people in the world, followed by the Icelandic in 6th, the Swedes in 12th, Norwegians in 13th, and finally the Finns as 17th tallest people in the world. Scandinavia before the bronze age had the most genetically diverse population in Europe, with the original darker skinned people being present much longer in Scandinavia compared to the rest of Europe (where the light-skinned farmers pushed away the dark-skinned hunters almost entirely). 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. But sometimes it can be fun to discuss stereotypes some of which may just have an element of truth to them!). Throughout Scandinavian history the people in the region have had a diet very high in Vitamin D due to a high amount of fish present in the diet. One of the Swedish personality traits that is often mistaken as coldness is their individualism. In order to survive the UV-bombardment during summers as well as the lack of sunlight in the winters, the skin of Scandinavians have needed to be adaptable. The first inhabitants of the Scandinavian peninsula came from the south with darker skin and blue eyes (known as Western Hunter-Gatherers), later joined by migrants from the east (known as Eastern Hunter-Gatherers) who had lighter skin but darker eyes. All systems have positives and negatives and Scandinavian countries are no exception.. One thing's for sure though, Many commentators have clearly never set foot in the Nordic region and barely understand the Nordic way of doing things. Lets also look at how Nordic people as a whole compare to people from other regions of the world in height: After adding up the individual country data and calculating a weighted average for each region (i.e. It seems like pretty much anything will count as entertainment for a Norwegian person. To find out the origins of the light hair/light eye color combination we need to look at where people in Scandinavia came from originally, and how they looked (based on DNA samples and analysis). How do the modern-day Scandinavians compare to their ancestors? 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 . 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 Nordic people as a whole really like the Swedes and Norwegians. Below the neck, this body hair is generally concentrated on the arms and legs in the Nordics. The study shows the genetic history of Scandinavia was influenced by foreign genes from Asia and Southern Europe . When you go to a Scandinavian house, expect to remove your shoes in the hallway. Thats usually because they dont have the same sun, sea, and sand to offer. 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. So, what can we learn from Scandinavian people? Design This idea symbolises social. Aside from countless television shows and reports giving us a peak behind the curtain into Scandi experiences, there are also various reports that seem to highlight the value of a Scandinavian lifestyle. 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. The two groups that came to Scandinavia were originally genetically quite different, and displayed distinct physical appearances. I then categorized the colors as either light or dark: In other words, 85% of my friends and family in southern Scandinavia have light hair (ranging from blonde to light brown), and 75% have light eyes (blue, green, hazel, or grey). Rather, humans around the world generally consider reproductive factors such as waist-to-hip ratio and other indicators of fertility and health as attractive, rather than a specific eye/hair/skin color or similar. Blonde hair, blue eyes. So there is at least something to the myth from a North American perspective (beauty standards differ around the world, after all). The Scandinavian Hunter-Gatherers lived in the region between 8000 BCE and 2800 BCE, and have been found to have had mixed eye colors (ranging from blue to light-brown), mostly dark hair (with the odd blondes present), and intermediate skin color (somewhere in between dark and light) with the odd light-skinned individual also present. Do Scandinavians have a lot of body hair? It is because of the lower than average exposure to the sun. You can see this every Swedish National Day, when the royal women come out in full Swedish traditional clothing which looks great! Dont mistake this lack of warmth as being anti-social though. The terms Scandinavian and Nordic are closely related and often erroneously used interchangeably. Their citizens have one of the longest life . The Scandinavian peninsula is geographically the largest in Europe, extending from the Baltic Sea to the Arctic Circle. NEW VIDEOS EVERY THUR, FRI, SAT & SUN! Although the rest of the Nordics generally view Sweden in a positive light still, there has been a slight shift towards more people having a more negative image of Sweden and Swedes lately. Norwegian people think really boring things are interesting. One thing thats particularly interesting when you look at Scandinavian culture facts is the way that these people approach work. 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. 1. Its about giving more balance back to the employment world. Maybe it's the lack of sunlight, or maybe it's in the genes. Do Scandinavians have natural white or platinum blonde hair? It was considered a race or one of the putative sub-races into which some late-19th to mid-20th century anthropologists divided the Caucasian race, claiming that its ancestral homelands were Northwestern and Northern Europe, particularly to populations such as Anglo-Saxons, Germanic peoples, Balts, Baltic Finns . So, let's set a few things straight! Copenhagen red light district: Where is it, and is it safe? Swedes are humble people, most of them can even be considered as reasonable. Because Swedes can make reasonable economic . As a source of inspiration, beauty, and opportunity, Scandinavia is a truly unique space and one that anyone should consider visiting. 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. They are a global leader in organic agriculture, recycling, and renewable energy. During the following centuries, these two hunter-gatherer groups intermingled and produced one of the most . According to a Popular Science Monthly study, most Scandinavians have wavy hair, with some parts of northern Scandinavia having more coarse/straight hair. They prefer to stay out of these situations and to avoid inserting themselves in the affairs of other countries if they can avoid it. Swedish personality characteristics include humbleness, open-mindedness, honesty, creativity, quietness, competitiveness, and fairness. Ive noticed that surgeons in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark all offer surgery to counteract this condition in case it disrupts your eyesight, or as an elective procedure for cosmetic reasons, and this procedure isnt as commonly seen in other areas of 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. Leave a baby stroller outside. That word is: Fika. The amount of curly-haired people in the Nordics is furthermore a much lesser part of the population compared to the rest of Europe. They may have had a reputation for trade, braids and fearsome raids, but the Vikings were far from a single group of flaxen-haired, sea-faring Scandinavians. This atmosphere comes from a concept in the Scandinavian culture called Jantelov which basically means that everyone thinks of themselves as being no better or worse than the rest of the community. In fact, a lot of people have a much higher percentage than they expected. The Swedes prefer to keep to themselves most of the time. So the clich blue-eyed and blonde Nordic stereotype seems to hold true then, but where do these physical traits come from and why do they still seem to have a strong presence in the Nordics? document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Facts about Scandinavia: Everything you need to know (and more). 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. What are typical Swedish characteristics when socializing? This incredible location is packed full of unforgettable culture, awe-inspiring landscapes, and unique heritage. The Swedish concept of individualism is often practiced to avoid bothering others. They are self-confident, have enormous hearts with a gentle soul, and strongly believe in looking out for other people. About 125 inscriptions dated from ad 200 to . If they are not the ones doing the talking even if there are some truly beautiful words in the Swedish language they could use they can observe more. Finally, dont forget to take in the Swedish art that dots the landscape throughout the country. Or perhaps it is the fact that they have survived being prepared for the worse, and thus continue to think that way. While perhaps not homely in appearance, the women nevertheless possess an edgy, rustic look befitting the harsh living conditions of Scandinavia during the Viking Age.