I recently read that the countries that give the highest proportion of their GNP in foreign aid. These countries were Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Netherlands, and Finland. They give 1 percent of their GNP. What I am wondering is why are these countries mainly Scandanavian or at least in the same aera? Also who do they give all of that foreign aid to?
Scandinavian countries, aside from prospering economically in recent decades, have social democratic governments that take care of their citizens with enormous welfare programs (health care, unemployment benefits, etc.). Foreign aid is a way to spread this around internationally. Also, Scandinavian countries take in large numbers of refugees from around the world, which might be included in the tallies for foreign aid. For example when I was in Helsinki last year, I noticed a relatively large Somalian population.
Speculation: Finland was the only country to completely pay back its World War II debts to the U.S., so perhaps they feel an obligation of sorts? I’ll ask my father, who’s from Finland, and post again.
These countries are also at the top in various other categories. For instance, as discussed on another recent thread, they have the highest proportion of women in their legislatures.
This is just too funny to pass up. A Google search on “scandinavian socialism” slid me this page, in which the unknown author claims that Club Med is one of the better examples of socialism.
The Scandinavian countries share similar terrain, similar climate, similar languages, and similar political systems. This isn’t too different from North America sharing federal systems and a capitalist approach, although I’ll be hard pressed to explain all those upside-down question marks down there in Tijuana.
Do our Arctic Circle pals know something we don’t, like how to really get down and vacation right? I’m not sure. I haven’t been there, but from what I understand even your toughest chaps-wearin’, ‘backy spittin’, bear killin’ American would think twice about spending a winter alone in Narvik. Maybe six months of brutal cold and long reading nights makes folks think a little more about others.
i’m truly sorry to burst the one-percent bubble (and i’m sure all finns are sooo ashamed now…) but actually, the current percentage of the finnish national budget allocated for foreign relief isn’t even 0.3%. it was dropped to that from the high of around 1% when the recession hit in the beginning of the 90’s, and hasn’t been raised back since, even though many politicians argue that finland surely now has the capacity to expand its foreign aid.
in most other scandinavian countries, the percentage is somewhere around 0.5%.
No, auRa, it’s still around 1% in the other Scandinavian countries. Denmark and Norway are the top givers and they still give 1%. They are followed by Sweden (around 0.8), Holland and Luxemburg.
Sweden, Norway and Denmark are Scandinavian countries, and very similar in culture, climate and government.
LOL 
Narvik is in the far north of Norway, and very few people live there. Narvik is in Norway what Anchorage is in the US. The vast majority of Scandinavians live in areas with the same climate as Boston.
Swedish foreign aid is given primarily to African countries, not surprisingly since the sub-Saharan region in Africa is the poorest on our planet. Some aid also goes to Asia and to specific catastroph areas.
I really have no idea why the Nordic countries give more foreign aid. It might be connected to the long tradition of socialism.
Well I am a swede and I don’t see why a relativly rich country should not give to less fortunate? We have a socialist party in majority in our goverment right now and the socialist party has long tradition in being for the people and helping the weaker and so on. But too be fair our most far right party is by you US standards pretty socialist too=)
All swedes are raised with this and many see this as the right way to live I guess? To have high taxes to help the less fortunate in the society and to a lesser extent donating money to poorer countries. That is not too say we do not have our own problems=)
Now as too other scandinivan countries as you call them it is probably because they have similar politics… until lately that is… Can’t say I really like the outcome out of Denmarks recent election…
At first I thought this thread was about extending foreign aid to the scandinavian countries. I’m all for it, but I would have to insist that those blond, blue-eyed handsome scandinavian men earn their stipends by coming over to the U.S. and working as indentured servants to lonely, sex-starved, er hardworking single American women . . .you’re not buying that explanation either, are you? Okay, just send over those handsome scandinavian men anyways.
well i’ll be damned… :o the info i got was from my ib economics class handouts, supposedly accurate info from 2000! psh. obviously not.
maybe this is why they docked points from my essay on development economics in the final exams last may… see if i ever trust anything other that SD again. 