The Nordic region has a population of 24.9 million. The Nordic countries consist of Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Finland, Åland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. The Faroe Islands and Greenland are both part of the kingdom of Denmark, and Åland is part of the republic of Finland.

Denmark, Norway and Sweden are all monarchies. Iceland and Finland are republics.

Regardless of the form of government, the heads of state in the Nordic countries have relatively little power. All the countries have a democratic constitution dating from the 19th century, and, with the exception of the Norwegian constitution, they have all been revised several times.

The parliaments in the Nordic countries and the autonomous territories vary in size from 30 members in the Parliament of Åland to 349 members in Sweden's parliament.