FennoScandia

Fennoscandia is a geographic and geologic region that encompasses the Scandinavian Peninsula (Norway and Sweden), Finland, and the Kola Peninsula of Russia. The name combines Finnic (Fenn-) with Scandinavia (-scandia) and is used mainly in geology and physical geography to describe the area underlain by the Fennoscandian Shield. The shield comprises ancient Precambrian rocks and forms the core of northern Europe’s continental crust.

Geography and geology: The landscape is a rugged, low-relief shield carved by repeated glaciations during the Pleistocene. Norway’s fjords, the lake-studded taiga of Sweden and Finland, and the northern Lapland tundra reflect glacial sculpting. Bedrock outcrops, granite and gneiss, and greenstone belts shape soils, hydrology, and land use across the region.

Climate and environment: Climates range from cool temperate along the coasts to subarctic inland and in the far north. The North Atlantic Drift moderates coastal temperatures, producing long winters and short summers. The region supports boreal forests, extensive peatlands, and significant freshwater resources, with biodiversity distributed across protected areas and national parks.

Human geography and terminology: Fennoscandia is not a political entity; its territory overlaps with Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia’s Kola Peninsula. Indigenous Sámi populations inhabit northern areas, traditionally engaging in reindeer herding. The term is primarily used in geology, archaeology, and palaeogeography, with boundaries that vary by context.