SCANDINAVIA, a large peninsula in the n. of Europe, bounded on the n. by the Arctic ocean; on the w. by the Atlantic, North Sea, Skager Rack, Cattegat, and Sound; and on the s. and e. by the Baltic sea, gulf of Bothnia and Finland, with which it is con nected on the n.e. by an isthmus 325 m. wide. This peninsula comprises the two king doms, Norway (q.v.) and Sweden (q.v.); is 1240 m. long, from 230 to 460 in. broad. area 300,000 sq. in. The ridge of mountains which traverses the peninsula in the direc tion of its length gives character to the whole conformation. The western division of the Scandinavian peninsula is covered with mountains; the eastern half, Sweden, con sists principally of low-lying country. The mountains of Scandinavia extend from Waranger Fiord, in the extreme n.e., to the promontory of the Naze, in the extreme s.w., with an average breadth of 180 miles. They consist principally of gneiss and micaceous aehist, sometimes, but rarely, of porphyry, syenitc, granite, and chalk; salt is not found ; silver, copper, and iron abound. The Scandinavian mountains, though forming in
reality one great, range, are considered as forming four sections—the Lapland monnta ins, in the n., from 1000 to 2,060 ft. high; the Kjolen mountains, from 1500 to 2,575 (thigh; the Dovre Fjelde, from 2,500 to 3,600 ft. high; and lastly, the Southern Fjelde. 4,000 to 5,150 ft. high. Though of inconsiderable height, yet the numerous glaciers and snow fields of the mountains of Scandinavia impart to this range almost an Alpinecharacter. The climate of Scandinavia is much milder on the w. than on the e. side, a fact tt, be ascribed probably to the influence of the Gulf stream. The character of the country its physical features, industries, etc., are given under the articles NORWAY and Swentn.
The ancient Seondia, or Scandinavia, included northern Denmark, as well as the peninsula that still retains the name. It is first mentioned by Pliny, who, unaware that theiteninsula was attached to Finland on the n. considered Scandinavia as an island.