Theme

The Nordic countries

The Nordic countries are among the most affluent in the world, and represent a stabil and well-functioning part of a changing Europe.

"The Nordic countries" is the historical and geographical name of the area consisting og Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. The area has over 26 million inhabitants in total and an area of around 3,5 million square kilometres. Combined, the Nordic economy equals those of Russia and Spain. The Nordic countries have a long history as a cultural community, for example expressed through the establishment of the Nordic Council in 1959 and the Nordic Council of Ministers in 1971. The countries operate as a coordinated political block in many international contexts, and they are affiliated with the Nordic Passport Union, the Council of Europe, the EEA, the UN, and the Schengen Treaty. However, while Norway, Denmark and Iceland are members of NATO, Finland and Sweden are not. And similarly, while Denmark, Sweden and Finland are members of the European Union, Iceland and Norway are not.

Nordic cooperation on foreign and security policy is the core in NUPI's research on Nordic issues. Important questions are how the Nordic countries' different alliance policies affect their ability to cooperate in practice, and what possibilities the Nordic countries have as a block in international politics.

News about The Nordic countries

What affects Nordic defence cooperation?
13 Apr 2021
- - Ane Teksum Isbrekken
We have lacked good tools for analysing analyse security cooperation in medium-sized regions such as the Nordic areas, according to Karsten Friis (NUPI). His most recent article offers a solution.

Defence Security policy Norden
Nordic research cooperation is more important than ever in a rapidly changing world: concrete proposals for developing cooperation

10 Feb 2021

The Nordic Ministers of Foreign Affairs were meeting 10 February. Their virtual meeting was an opportunity to discuss the potential for increased Nordic research cooperation at a time where the world around us is changing rapidly.

Diplomacy Utenrikspolitikk Norden
How do the Nordics position themselves in the new European security landscape?
19 Mar 2020
- - Ane Teksum Isbrekken
In a new joint report, researchers from NUPI and research institutes in the Nordics have investigated this.

Security policy Defence Norden NATO Europe The EU

All news about The Nordic countries (total 10)

Publications about The Nordic countries

Publication : Academic article
Analyzing Security Subregions: Forces of Push, Pull, and Resistance in Nordic Defense Cooperation
2021
- - Karsten Friis
How can we best analyze security subregions? The most commonly used theory of regional security in the discipline of international relations, the regional security complex theory, focuses on large regions, such as Europe, Asia, or the Middle East. It pays less attention to smaller regions within these....
Defence Security policy Regional integrasjon Norden
Publication : Editorial
Frankrikes Europa-politikk gir muligheter for Norge
2021
- - Pernille Rieker
If one wants an EU that is able to protect the values on which European cooperation is based, then the EU must be strengthened. This is the main message of the new French European policy. And Norway should support that, even if it is not an EU member.
Europe Norden
Publication : Popular scientific chapter/article

Norway – optimising EU non-membership to maximise mutual European added value
Several countries outside the European Union have cooperation agreements with the EU that integrate them more or less into European projects of their choice. One of the ‘third’ countries most integrated into EU activities and EU regulations is Norway. What motivates the Norwegians - whose country would...
Norden The EU