Where Did the Name Scandinavia Come From and Is Scandinavia a Country or a Region?

Scandinavia is a region that comprises the countries of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.

Finland and Iceland are sometimes considered part of Scandinavia.

Scandinavia extends into the Arctic Circle, but has mild weather because of the Gulf Stream.

Most of the people who live in Scandinavia are Scandinavians, and belong to the group of Germanic peoples.

The word Scandinavia comes from the Germanic word Skaðin-awjō, which appears later in Old Norse as Skáney, and means “dangerous island”, which refers to the treacherous sandbanks surrounding Scania.

The earliest reference for the name Scandinavia is Pliny the Elder’s Natural History, from the 1st century AD.