Its name comes from the Latin words
Fennia (Finland) and
Scandia (Scandinavia). The term was first used by the Finnish geologist
Wilhelm Ramsay in 1898. Geologically, the area is distinct because its
bedrock is
Archean granite and
gneiss with very little
limestone, in contrast to adjacent areas in Europe.
Biology In biology, the term is often limited to Norway, Sweden and Finland. Fennoscandia is not a distinct
biogeographical region.
Politics and culture The term is sometimes used to refer to a cultural or political grouping of Finland with the
Scandinavian countries of Sweden, Norway and Denmark. The broader term
Nordic region also encompasses
Iceland, as well as the
autonomous territories of
Åland, the
Faroe Islands and
Greenland. ==See also==