What is it with these "Nordic Countries"?

Question

Everytime I hear any of the countries, Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland they seem to be on top of an international list or another in pretty much everything!

So, how come we don't hear more about these coutries, then? Can't be that good, despite all the statistics and such. And where's the good ol' USA in these "studies"? Huh?

Good examples of this is that Finns have the best public education, as well as having the largest testicles compared to any other population.
They apparantly are also the blondest, in the world.

See? Highest in alcoholism too! Though I've found that alcoholism studies usually exclude Russia.

But seeing as they have balls, they can probably handle their drink. :D :D

Norway is also one of the richest nations in the world, per capita.

As I understood the Swedish party change, it wont be that radical, at all. It was just the party that is supposed be so right wing (although in our terms they'd still be lefties).

Hah! I bet those last two answerers only found this answers because they were searching "Finland" and "Sweden" respectively.
It's a hobby of people living in small nations, I'm sure.

For the record, the testicle size was the highest average in a study, yet the sample was not large enough to generalize the result to the whole population. It came up in some fertility study.

Anyway, I'll keep this question open and see how many scand- sorry, nordics answer.

Answer 1

Iceland is also part of the Nordic Union.

The USA has no social conscience -- which is exactly what the Nordic countries have. The only measure of "success" in America seems to be money. While the founder of Ikea, Ingvar Kaprad is now the richest man in the world http://edition.cnn.com/2004/BUSINESS/04/04/ikea.richlist/ he doesn't live in Sweden anymore, but Switzerland.

One hears of America with respect to entrepreneurship, the arts and scholarly research. But not with respect to human capital and social conscience.

Answer 2

Well, you definitely don't hear too much about us, because we're such small countries. There's more people in a single US city than there are Finnish people, including all those Finns living abroad.

Economically thinking we can only have one major company exporting anything, and that's Nokia. Most US people still think it's a Japanese company.

We still consume huge amounts of alcohol; Russia is about 6th or something on that chart, Finland somewhere in top 3 last year.

About USA, if I remember correctly, you still are the richest nation. About education... Do you still have illiterate people there? According to some statistics, yes. Weird thing.

About the size of the testicles... I haven't heard that one, but must be a some sort of evolutionary quirk, because we are such an inbred nation. That's why we also top the charts in heart and vascular diseases (could also have something to do with excessive alcohol usage:))

Add: Yes, I was searching open questions with "Finland" and "Finnish" keywords. After all, there aren't that many Finns answering questions here, but there are still some people asking. I'm usually able to give good and helpful answers, and that's what this is all about, eh?

But to get to the point: if you thought my answer was an attempt to brag with my nationality, then I'm afraid you are mistaken. I'm not too proud of our alcohol usage, heart and vascular diseases nor other characteristics of our isolated population in this globalizing world (take rasistic attitudes for example). I try to see the good AND bad sides of my nation, with and without the help of statistics.

Oh, one more good reason why people don't usually hear about Finland or Finnish products: One marketing person once said that we Finns have great researchers, scientists and engineers, but none of us could sell a single cone of ice cream, even if he tried to do so in hell.

Answer 3

Because we're also very modest! LOL

I'm only half kidding, though, it's a strong cultural thing in the Nordic countries that you don't toot your own horn - it's considered pompous and anti-social. If you achieve something, you just calmly enjoy your success and keep doing your thing, you don't brag about it.

You're probably wearing a Swedish invention every day, though - zippers were invented by a Swede. Then there's IKEA, Gevalia gourmet coffee (sold as gourmet in the US, here it's a household item), Absolut vodka, Volvo and SAAB cars, Ericsson cell phones (Sony Ericsson now), Scania trucks, dynamite, the Nobel Prize, meatballs, smorgasbord, Finnish Nokia etc etc.

So... you're surrounded by Scandinavian things and/or inventions all the time, you're just not (apparently) aware of it. ;-)

Answer 4

The Swedes have recently rejected much of their state welfare system. Seems the people are fed up with being overtaxed.

Let's see - Norway is known for whale hunting, Finland USED to have the highest alcoholism rate in the world (I think they've improved), and Sweden doesn't make much of anything anymore - Saabs and Volvos are good cars, I guess - but Saab is owned by GM, and Volvo is owned by Ford. Also, Sweden doesn't even make decent porn anymore. I think Denmark still makes cheese.

Love Jack

Answer 5

you are able to tell that "Classics Fifty" replaced into in fights. seem at all of the scars on his face. M&M has blue eyes. it is a disqualification interior the APBT. Any of the canines that are human aggressive are critically disqualified via fact the breed standards state NO human aggression ever. they're great relatives canines and don't make solid shield canines as they're human beings friendly. How can any of their canines be "interest" while all they'll do is attack something and each thing of their path? a real APBT is gentle, friendly with human beings, has a solid prey tension, isn't overly great (around 60 lbs), and could/won't get alongside with different canines. those canines are warring parties via and via and this guy desires to be close down. i admire how they provide the acceptable background of the APBT yet do each thing achievable to reproduce removed from that background & standards. they could register with UKC or ADBA yet they understand their canines are no longer as much as reproduce standards so as that they made up their own papers. it is not a actual registry. in basic terms a attractiveness related to a pair revealed out papers that shop up with canines/dams/litters...it is all. it is not frustrating to do and any fool with Microsoft be conscious wisdom can print one up. I despatched them an e mail telling them that their canines have been so a procedures from breed standards it wasn't even humorous and that they are the rationalization the government needs BSL against pits. :) ask your self what they're going to say?

Answer 6

I heard an American sociologist on tv a few months ago and he said that this generation of 20 year olds is much worse than their parents are, He said that this is the first time that this has happened in American history. Answer.....Lets all move to the Nordic countries and dye our hair blond.

Answer 7

They don't need to attack other countries or make a lot of pollution. Their people are happy to just get on with their lives and make advances in science and art without ruining anything or hurting anyone.

Answer 8

I love the Scandanavian countries. My favorite USED TO BE Iceland. But I now have to move them in my least favored nations due to their return to commercial whaling.

Otherwise, nuttin' but love for the Nords.

Answer 9

they demonstrate that socialism can work in peaceful areas with small populations where everyone is an accepted part of the community.

Answer 10

I totally know what you mean!

They're like, the tallest, fastest, smartest, youngest...

the list goes on! I agree, how come they aren't making big waves with all their grande abilities!? lol