Le Nord : revue internationale des Pays de Nord - 01.06.1938, Blaðsíða 57

ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION
49
The three most northerly countries of Fenno-Scandinavia:
i. e. Finland, Sweden and Norway, possess another natural asset
of exceptional value in their forests, which represent more than
half the total forest area of Europe, excluding Russia, and the
importance of which is increased by the uniform character of the
forests, consisting mostly of pine and spruce, which are the trees
principally required by modern industry as a raw material. Thus
a woodworking industry has developed in these countries and
has assumed such dimensions, that it is now the most important
export industry of the whole North.
This only to mention two features of outstanding importance
in the economic structure of the Northern Countries. It may be
added that there are in the North ore deposits, particularly rich
in Sweden — Sweden’s output of ore occupies a prominent place
in world economy — but also quite considerable in Norway
and Finland. Furthermore, in all the Northern Countries, whether
they possess ore deposits of their own or no, foundries and en-
gineering works have been established to a considerable extent
working on an export basis. To analyse the industrial activity
in other branches would bring us too far. May it only be em-
phasised, that in spite of considerable differences between the
different countries, there is also in this respect a great deal of
similarity, particularly in so far as the object of this activity to
a great extent is to supply the home market, while exports occupy
a secondary place.
Finally it should be mentioned that shipping and cognate
trades occupy an important place in all the Northern Countries.
Sweden, Norway, and Denmark especially hold a prominent
position among the seafaring nations of the world, and the com-
bined merchant fleets of the Northern Countries rank third after
Great Britain and the United States, being considerably ahead
of e. g. Japan, Germany and France.
Another similar feature is that all the countries of the North
are greatly dependent on their trade with foreign countries, from
which a number of important raw materials and other commo-
dities have to be imported, such as many metals, cotton and other
raw materials for the textile industries, rubber, dyes, various
chemicals, coal, and mineral oils. There is also a shortage of arti-
ficial fertilisers and fodder for cattle. Colonial produces, such as
coffee, tobacco, sugar, and spices, all of them necessaries of life,
also have to be imported; neither is salt available on the spot, and
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