Northern Europe includes Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden.
Subdivisions within the group includes:
- Scandinavia which includes Sweden, Norway, and Denmark.
- Nordic countries, which includes Scandinavia with Finland and Iceland.
- Baltic States, which includes Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
Due to their recent history, the Baltic States often are considered to be part of Eastern Europe although they belong geographically and culturally to Northern Europe. A compromise terminology for the Baltic states is "Northeastern Europe".
In a European Union context Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Germany and the Netherlands are often seen as belonging to the northern group.