The Scandinavian countries have long been perceived as political and social models. Many observers in continental Europe admire the consensus democracies of the North, the strong social democratic parties and trade unions, the comprehensive and solidarity-based welfare states, the PISA-praised education policies, as well as a foreign policy focused on peace and development. This book presents and systematically analyzes the democracies of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, along with their cultural, social, economic, and political peculiarities from an internationally comparative perspective. In addition to a historical and cultural overview of the North, the book includes descriptions of the democratic institutions and their functioning, as well as the key political actors.