What is Northern Europe?
[[File:Europe subregion map UN geoscheme.svg|thumb|300px|right|{{legend|#4080FF|Northern Europe}} {{legend|#00FFFF|[[Western Europe]]}} {{legend|#FF8080|[[Eastern Europe]]}} {{legend|#00FF00|[[Southern Europe]]}}]] '''Northern Europe''' is the northern part of the [[Europe|European continent]]. Most people see the following states as part of it: * The [[Nordic countries]], including {{flag|Denmark}}, {{flag|Finland}}, {{flag|Iceland}}, {{flag|Norway}} and {{flag|Sweden}}. * {{flag|Ireland}} and the {{flag|United Kingdom}} (but see also [[Western Europe]]) * The [[Baltic states]], i.e. {{flag|Estonia}}, {{flag|Latvia}}, and {{flag|Lithuania}} * Areas bordering the [[Baltic Sea]] and the [[North Sea]], e.g. north-western {{flag|Russia}}, northern {{flag|Poland}} (most often referred to as [[Eastern Europe]]), {{flag|Netherlands}}, {{flag|Belgium}}, {{flag|Luxembourg}}, and northern {{flag|Germany}}. Europe, the planet's 6th largest continent, includes 47 countries and assorted dependencies, islands and territories. Before the [[19th century]], the term 'Nordic' or 'Northern' was commonly used to mean Northern Europe in a sense that included the Nordic countries, European [[Russia]], the [[Baltic countries]] (at that time Livonia and [[Courland]]) and {{flag|Greenland}}. In earlier eras, when Europe was dominated by the [[Mediterranean region]] (i.e. the [[Roman Empire]]), everything not near this sea was termed Northern Europe, including [[Germany]], the [[Netherlands|Low Countries]], and {{flag|Austria}}. In [[medieval]] times, the term (Ultima) [[Thule]] was used to mean a semi-mythical place in the extreme northern reaches of the continent. In a [[European Union]] context, [[Denmark]], [[Norway]], [[Sweden]], [[Finland]], [[Germany]], [[Ireland]], [[Austria]], [[Luxembourg]], [[Belgium]], [[Netherlands]], [[Estonia]], [[Latvia]] and [[Lithuania]] are often seen as belonging to a Northern group. == References == {{reflist}} {{Europe-stub}} [[Category:Regions of Europe]]