What began as a seemingly harmless comment regarding home dcor devolved into a heated exchange of increasingly hostile tweets between the Danes and their Swedish counterparts: Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed, and the hurling of insults came to an end. He blames Nato for blocking his takeover of Ukraine and has demanded Nato troops be withdrawn from eastern Europe. Nearly 20% of Turkey's 84 million-strong population is Kurdish, with some Kurds holding important positions in Turkish politics and society, though many say they are discriminated against and their political parties face crackdowns from the Turkish state. Researchers found mental health to be one of the most significant barriers to subjective well-being. Also see Scandinavia Flags: Compare Designs and Meanings to learn more. One economy may be stronger than the other. Denmark is becoming a nation divided, essentially, between the places which have a branch of Sticks'n'Sushi (Copenhagen) and the rest. Finland's concerns have been largely practical: it shares an 810-mile (1,300km) border with Russia, declared independence in 1917 after more than a century of rule by Moscow, and its army twice. Most people are really in denial.". Yet, it is sometimes the case that neighboring countries, though their people can be similar, have more conflict with each other, not less. "At some point in the evening around 11.30pm, people start behaving aggressively, throwing punches, wrestling," Heikki Aittokoski, foreign editor of Helsingin Sanomat, told me. Several Kurds even have seats in Sweden's Parliament. Dont worry man, nobody hates Sweden, its just sibling rivalry. Some people believe Norwegians are just more competitive than their neighbors. An indigenous minority of around 100,000 people spread over the northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia, the Sami have traditionally lived off reindeer herding and fishing. Both Norway and Sweden are "long" countries. 2023 BBC. In these ways, it may be possible to compare the competition among the countries to sibling rivalries. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Many analysts believe the two countries will apply simultaneously. This follows some unfortunate incidents involving Finnish students the burning of Porvoo cathedral by an 18-year-old in 2006; the Jokela shootings (another disgruntled 18-year-old) in 2007, and the shooting of 10 more students by a peer in 2008 which led some to speculate whether Finnish schools were quite as wonderful as their reputation would have us believe. 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. From the military perspective, the addition of Finlands and Swedens armed forces would represent a major boost to Natos assets in northern Europe, filling a hole in the alliances defences by doubling the length of its border with Russia and improving security and stability in the Baltic region. Putin has demanded that NATO stop expanding and in his May 9 speech blamed the West for the war. In a joint letter to member nations last week, Finland and Sweden brought up Article 42.7 of the European Union's founding Lisbon Treaty which obligates other members to "aid and assist by . "Swedish women try to moan as little as possible during childbirth and they often ask, when it is all over, whether they screamed very much. Competition and rivalry exist as well. The reasons why are complicated, emotional and steeped in decades ofoftenviolent history. Its common security guarantee is based on article 5 of the treaty, which states that an attack on one member is an attack on all and commits members to defend each other in the event of armed aggression. [7], In the early 16th-century, the union began to show signs of fraying. 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). Norway lost a brief war with Sweden in 1814 and was forced to enter into a Union with Sweden. The study, prepared by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, examines six factors that relate to a heightened state of contentment: Based on these life-affirming results, it is safe to presume that Danish and Swedish forebearers would look upon their progeny with great pride and perhaps even vindication. Russia has threatened its close Arctic neighbours Sweden and Finland with 'military consequences' if they join NATO. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns. It might not seem like there is a big difference between the 2 Scandinavian countries whereas to the land, use and its outlook, but there are a . Join the Nazis! And due to 1&2 Sweden has had more interactions with its Nordic neighbours than the other Nordic countries. We exists to inform people about the people, culture, and history of Northern Europe. The same applies in Norway, with Oslo often measuring up as more expensive than places like Bergen. Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark and Iceland together enjoy a very high standard of living. Sweden's top diplomat Ann Linde has stressed that Stockholm considers the PKK a terrorist organization but there remained "misunderstandings" over using the term for other Kurdish groups, such as the YPG. I think a lot of the reason Sweden being targetted by its neighbours can be attributed to simple facts: Sweden being the immediate Nordic neighbour of Denmark/Norway/Finland, Sweden being the largest country in the Nordics. A positive decision would then be presented to parliament for approval early next week. Everyone understands that Finland is not Russian, despite being part of the Russian Empire for 108 years. This gesture was repeated when members of the Sweden Democrats abstained in the European Parliament resolution condemning Hungary's controversial LGBTIQ law. In other regional conflicts around the world, present-day racial, political, and social tensions can be traced back thousands of years, not just hundreds like in Scandinavia. If you do decide to move there, don't expect scintillating conversation. The United States is ratcheting up national security concerns about TikTok, mandating that all federal employees delete the Chinese-owned social media app from government-issued mobile phones. Norway saw a 40% increase over the five-year-period of young people seeking help for mental health difficulties. Thunberg and other climate campaigners are joining a demonstration led by the Saami community, an Indigenous group whose traditional lands stretch across Norway, Sweden, Finland, and western . to learn more about Scandinavian culture. "The Russian invasion of Ukraine and the fact that the war now focuses on parts of that country that are adjacent to Turkey and of profound strategic and even historic interest to Ankara has reminded many Turks of the value of membership in NATO.". Also see Why Do Doors Open Outwards in Sweden? Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Finland ranks third in global gun ownership behind only America and Yemen; has the highest murder rate in western Europe, double that of the UK; and by far the highest suicide rate in the Nordic countries. Turkey has long accused Nordic countries, in particular Sweden, of harboring extremist Kurdish groups and supporters of Fethullah Glen, the U.S.-based preacher whose supporters Ankara says . Finland and Sweden formally applied to join NATO on Wednesday at Allied headquarters in Brussels, driven by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Eighteen Republican lawmakers voted against the US allowing Finland and Sweden to join NATO. Well there are legimate reasons to not like Sweden nowadays. The people of Iceland are fascinating. [1] But it has so many exciting places that deciding which area to visit can be challenging. Also Do Swedes Actually Like Surstromming? 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. The Norwegians were allowed to maintain their parliament, and their own army and judiciary. Spread out between Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran, the Kurds have been heavily persecuted, marginalized and even been victims of genocide in the counties where they live see Saddam Hussein's chemical gas attacks that killed nearly 200,000 Kurds in Iraq in the late 1980s. 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. According to the World Cancer Research Fund, the Danes have the highest cancer rates on the planet. 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. According to metrics that measure a populations collective sense of happiness, they have also developed into thriving countries. Finland already meets Natos defence spending target of 2% of GDP, while Sweden is on course to do so. In summer, you'll be plagued by mosquitos, in winter, you'll freeze that's assuming no one shoots you, or you don't shoot yourself. Vladimir Putin sees Nato not as a defensive alliance but as a threat to Russias security. The report notes that in Finland, which ranked as the happiest world country in. How can they afford all those expensively foraged meals and hand-knitted woollens? Will Ferrell hates Norway because They sell way more electric cars per capita than the United States. According to the 2019 iteration of the World Happiness Report, Denmark ranked as the second happiest nation in the world, and Sweden ranked a very respectable seventh in the world (in fact, all 5 Nordic countries ranked within the top ten). Kurdish fighters in Syria linked to the PKK played a major role in the fight against ISIS, receiving weapons support and funding from the U.S and Europe, including Sweden. When Erdogan talks of "terrorists" in this context, he means the Kurdish Workers' Party, or the PKK a Kurdish Marxist separatist movement that has been fighting Turkish forces on-and-off since the 1980s. Speaking of Danes and Swedes, there is also the commonly held notion that these two nationalities hate each other. Crucially, they all perform well in terms of government openness and effectiveness. I hear Taggart's on again! "My suspicion is that Turkey, eventually, especially if it can extract a few concessions here and there from the Western powers and its NATO allies, will not ultimately seek to block Finland and Sweden from joining the organization," the Arab Gulf States Institute's Ibish said. Scandinavian Flags: Similarities and Differences, Simple things like coffee and pastries are. It would be greatly appreciated if you'd join our discord https://discord.gg/ZjpnhAj. Is social media causing childhood depression? Centuries ago, there most certainly was hatred between the nations of Denmark and Sweden, as evidenced by the dozens of wars fought between them. In the US, they'd have an intervention.". For the past few years the world has been in thrall to all things Nordic (for which purpose we must of course add Iceland and Finland to the Viking nations of Denmark, Norway and Sweden). (Also see Why Do Doors Open Outward in Sweden?). Why do Sweden and Finland have a bitter relationship? 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). Icelands epic landscapes draw hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Geographically speaking, the Scandinavian peninsula is the area shared by Norway, Sweden, and a part of northern Finland. Norwegians are made fun of for being filthy rich, lazy, and too attached to their skis, Swedes are said to be painfully politically correct and addicted to tanning, while Danes are teased for being loud and impossible to understand. The people here being salty werent even born when this shit mattered. I met with ke Daun, Sweden's most venerable ethnologist. Take the Danes, for instance. "We are seeing that this epidemic of mental illness and loneliness is reaching the shores of the Nordic countries.". Enough of the unblinking idolatry of all things knitted, bearded, rye bread-based and licorice-laced. to learn more. In fact, Sweden was one of the first countries to designate the group as a terrorist organization in 1984. Presumably the correlative of this is that Denmark has the best public services? The Danes of course also have highest taxes in the world (though only the sixth-highest wages hence the debt, I guess). . For instance, non-Scandinavians observe many similarities between Norwegians, Swedes, and Danes, especially when it comes to appearance, politics, and lifestyle. [6]. 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. Swedish media have said a final government decision will be made on Monday, with a formal application for membership to be submitted shortly afterwards. Anything I say about the Swedes will pale in comparison to their own excoriating self-image. Sweden has a long history of taking in Kurdish refugees and asylum seekers, particularly political refugees. 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. Yes there has always been a strong anti-Swedish bias in Finnish nationalism since Swedish influences have been very strong in our society and for that reason the early Finnish nationalist saw Sweden as their main opponent. At the same time, 1815, Norway's war flag was merged with that of Sweden; a Swedish three pronged flag with a Danish flag in the upper left corner. Among the dissenters in the Monday vote were some of the party's furthest-right members, including Reps . Please see the About page for details. True, they claim to be the happiest people in the world, but why no mention of the fact they are second only to Iceland when it comes to consuming anti- depressants? See Why Do Norwegians Hate Swedes and Danes? Answer (1 of 26): In my generation, almost everyone I know have worked either in Denmark or in Norway. Swedes in Malm similarly aren't too fond of Danes from Copenhagen with a comparably higher average wage being a much larger city coming in and buying . The most direct route via Sweden and Finland would still take at least 27 hours. But public opinion in Finland and Sweden suggests that he has driven them into NATO's arms. Schools rein in higher achievers for the sake of the less gifted; "elite" is a dirty word; displays of success, ambition or wealth are frowned upon. But Sweden? Finland and Sweden share a long history, similar legal systems, and an economic and social model.Finland was part of Sweden for almost 700 years from around 1150 until the Finnish War of 1809 after which Finland became an autonomous part of the Russian Empire as the Grand Duchy of Finland.Since Finland gained its full independence from Russia in 1917, Finland and Sweden have been close . Russia has repeatedly warned Finland and Sweden against joining Nato, saying the serious military and political consequences of such a move would oblige it to take retaliatory steps to restore military balance by strengthening its defences in the Baltic, including by deploying nuclear weapons. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images, Finns having a quiet drink Photograph: Martti Kainulainen/REX, A car burning after riots in Stockholm in 2013. Finland and Sweden could apply for membership of the 30-nation Nato alliance within days, ending decades of military non-alignment in a historic shift triggered by Russias invasion of Ukraine. NATO expansion is something it has previously cited to justify invading Ukraine, also a NATO partner. Press J to jump to the feed. which ranked as the happiest world country in 2018, Prince Andrew offered Frogmore Cottage - reports, Ed Sheeran says wife developed tumour in pregnancy, Bieber cancels remaining Justice world tour dates, China and Belarus call for peace in Ukraine, Trump lashes out at Murdoch over vote fraud case, Man survives 31 days in jungle by eating worms, Eli Lilly caps monthly insulin costs in US at $35. 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. Sweden, however, remained the regional outlier for more than a century. The Finns are epic Friday-night bingers and alcohol is now the leading cause of death for Finnish men. According to a report in Politiken this month, the proportion of people below the poverty line has doubled over the last decade. Then you'll do your best to help. 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