Fennoscandia

Fennoscandia is a large peninsula in Europe that includes the Scandinavian and Kola peninsulas, mainland Finland, and Karelia. It is sometimes also called Fenno-Scandinavia or the Fennoscandian Peninsula.

Administratively, Fennoscandia covers the mainlands of Finland, Norway, and Sweden, as well as areas like Murmansk Oblast, the Republic of Karelia, and parts of northern Leningrad Oblast in Russia. This area is important because it includes several countries and regions that share similar landscapes and cultures.

For information about the Fennoscandian Shield, see the article on the Baltic Shield.

Usage history

The name Fennoscandia comes from two Latin words: Fennia (Finland) and Scandia (Scandinavia). A Finnish geologist named Wilhelm Ramsay first used this term in 1898. Geologically, this area stands out because its rocks are made of Archean granite and gneiss, with very little limestone, unlike nearby parts of Europe.

In biology, the term usually refers only to Norway, Sweden, and Finland, and it is not considered a separate biogeographical region. Politically and culturally, some people use the term to group Finland with the Scandinavian countries of Sweden and Norway. The broader term Nordic region also includes Iceland and the autonomous territories of Åland, the Faroe Islands, and Greenland. Main articles: Scandinavian countries, Nordic region