Britain, officially: The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is an Island Nation that belongs to the region that the United Nations defines as 'Northern Europe'. The United Kingdom is a Parlimentary Democracy and a Constitutional Monarchy that is composed of an union of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Central government lies at the Houses of Parliament (Palace of Westminster) in the capital, London though Scotalnd, Wales and Northern Ireland also have their own devolved parliaments or assemblies. English is the de facto official language though Irish Gaelic, Ulster Scots, Scots, Scottish Gaelic, Welsh and Cornish are recognized as regional languages with satutory rights. Whist there remains a link betwen church and state in the UK (the Church of England being the official church of England) in practice the UK has a predominantly secular society with only 38% of the popiulation proclaiming belieg in a god.

Britain is the world's fifth largest economy, and as a declared nuclear power holds a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. Britain is also considered a modern 'Great Power' and is a member of the G8, NATO, the European Union and the Commonwealth of Nations. The Crown Dependencies of the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, formally possessions of the Crown, are not part of the UK but form a federacy with it. The UK has fourteen overseas territories. all remnants of the British Empire, which at its height encompassed almost a quarter of the world's land surface.

Denmark: offilicially Kongeriget Danmark (The Kingdom of Denmark) is a Scandinavian country that is the most southerly of Norhtern Europe's Nordic lands. Copenhagen is its capital and largest city and the official language is Danish. Denmark is officially a Parliamentary democracy and Constitutional monarchy. he country consists of a large peninsula, Jutland (Jylland) and many islands, most notably Zealand (Sjælland), Funen (Fyn), Vendsyssel-Thy, Lolland, Falster and Bornholm as well as hundreds of minor islands often referred to as the Danish Archipelago. The Danish economy is the world's 34th largest and Denmark joined the European Union in 1973. Denmark is a member of the United Nations and NATO and is an active member of both, participating in many of the peacekeeping campaigns. Statistics state that 82% of Danes are members of the Luterhan church, yet only 31% of Danish citizens explicity believe in a god and Denmark has the world's third higest proportion of atheists and agnostics in the world.

The traditioal cuisine of Denmark is fairly simple, based around the staples of fish and meat. Rye bread is also a staple and many recipes are based on this. Traditional foods include meatballs, breaded meats served with potatoes and both fresh and smoked fish.

Estonia, oficially: Eesti Vabariik (The Republic of Estonia) is a Baltic country in Norhtern Europe. Tallinn is its capital and largest city and the official language is Estonian. Estonia is officially a Parliamentary democracy. The most northerly of the Baltic states, and the Estonians are, ethnically a Finnish peolpes with Estonian sharing many linguistic similarities with Finnish. Over the centuries, Estonians have been subject to Danish, Teutonic, Swedish and Russian rule. Foreign rule in Estonia began in 1227, when as a consequence of the Northern Crusades the area was conquered by Danes and Germans. From 1228–1562, parts or most of Estonia were incorporated into the loosely organized Livonian Confederation of Teutonic Knights, during which time economic activity centered around the Hanseatic League. In the 1500s, Estonia passed to Swedish rule until 1721, when it was ceded to the Russian Empire. In 1918 the Estonian Declaration of Independence was issued, to be followed by the Estonian War of Independence, which resulted in the Tartu Peace Treaty recognizing Estonian independence in perpetuity. During World War II, Estonia was occupied and annexed first by the Soviet Union and subsequently by the Third Reich, only to be re-occupied by the Soviet Union in 1944.

Estonia regained its independence on 20 August 1991 and it became a member of the United Nations on September 17th 1991 and has been a member of the European Union since May 1st 2004. Ecomomically, Estonia is ranked 103rd in the world but the economy is rapidly growning.

The traditional cuisine of Estonia is based on peasant cookery which has been influenced by a range of other countries though the most typical Estonian foods still include black bread, pork, potatoes and dairy products. Preeves remain winter staples, echoes of the many privations that Estonia's citizens have undergone over the centuries.

Finland, officially: Suomen tasavalta (Finnish); Republiken Finland (Swedish) (The Republic of Finland) is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. Helsinki is its capital and largest city and the official languages are Finnish and Swedish (though Sami is recognized as a regional language). Finland is officially a Parliamentary democracy. Finland was historically part of Sweden and from 1809 an autonomous Grand Duchy within the Russian Empire. Finland's declaration of independence in 1917 from Russia was followed by a civil war, wars against the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany, and a period of official neutrality during the Cold War. Finland joined the United Nations in 1955 and the European Union in 1995 and participates in the Eurozone.

The Finnish economy is the world's thirteenth largest and the country has an advanced economy. The majority of Finns are members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland (81.7 percent) and almost half of Finns attend church at least once a month, by far the highest proportion of any of the Nordic countries.

The traditional cuisine of Finland is a mix of European, Nordic and Western Russian and the food is generally simple but freshly prepared. Fish, meat, berries and ground vegetables are typical ingredients whereas spices are not common due to their historical unavailability. But spices have gained importance in modern Finnish cookery and now represent a prominent ingredient in modern Finnish cookery, with influences coming from both East and West.

Iceland, officially: Lýðveldið Ísland (The Republic of Iceland) is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, consisting of the island of Iceland and its outlying islets in the North Atlantic Ocean between the rest of Europe and Greenland. Reykjavík is its capital and largest city and the official language is Iceladic. Iceland is officially a Parliamentary democracy. he settlement of Iceland began in 874 when, according to Landnámabók, the Norwegian chieftain Ingólfur Arnarson became the first permanent Norwegian settler on the island. Over the next centuries, people of Nordic and Gaelic origin settled in Iceland. Until the twentieth century, the Icelandic population relied on fisheries and agriculture, and was from 1262 to 1918 a part of the Norwegian and later the Danish monarchies.

Icland is a member of the European Economic Area and Iceland is the most developed society in the world, ranked first on the United Nations’ Human Development Index. Icelanders are the second longest-living nation with a life expectancy at birth of 81.8 years. Iceland is one of the most egalitarian countries in the world, according to the calculation provided by the Gini coefficient.

The traditional cuisine of Iceland is based around fish, lamb and dairy products. However, the modern Icelandic diet is very diverse, and includes cuisines from all over the world and spices (traditionally lacking) are becoming an ever more important component of the diet.

Ireland, (Éire in Galeic), officilally, Poblacht na hÉireann, the Repubic of Ireland, is the westernmost of the countreis consitered to represent 'Northern Europe'. Ireland is a parlimentary democracy and its capital is Dublin. Ireland gained independence from Britain on December 6^th 1922 and has both Irish and English as its official language. It is also the only Celtic nation to gain independence. Roman Cathiolicism remains an important part of Irish life, though, in common with much of Europe the country is undergoing a secularist movement and religious observance is declining in the young.

Ireland is a modern European state and a member of the European union and the European Single Currency. During the late 1990s and early 2000s the country saw impressive economic growth and this led to the country being dubbed the 'Celtic Tiger'.

Latvia (Latvija), officially: Latvijas Republika, (Republic of Latvia); is a country located on the Baltic sea in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. Its capital and largest city is Riga and the official language is Latvian. The Latvians are a Baltic people culturally related to the Estonians and Lithuanians, with the Latvian language having many similarities with Lithuanian.

Latvia has been a member of the United Nations since 17 September 1991, of the European Union since 1 May 2004 and of NATO since 29 March 2004.

The cuisine of Latvia, like its nieghbouring Baltic states is based around fresh produce and what can be grown in cool and moist northern climes: barley, potatoes, beets, rye, greens, berries and mushrooms being notable. Latvian cuisine also shares much in common with Eastern European cuisines. Pork is a common meat and fish from the Baltic sea are frequently used.

Lithuania, officially: Lietuvos Respublika (The Republic of Lithuania).

Norway, officially: Norway, officially: Kongeriket Norge (Bokmål) and Kongeriket Noreg (Nynorsk) (Kingdom of Norway) is a constitutional monarchy in Northern Europe that occupies the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. Norway also includes the Arctic island territories of Svalbard and Jan Mayen. The capital and largest city is Oslo and Norwegian is the official language (though two official written forms, Bokmål and Nynorsk). Norway has an extensive Atlantic coastline which is dominated by Norways Fijords.

The per capits GDP of Norway is the world's third highest and this is significantly due to Norway's extensive oil deposits (Norway is the world's third largest oil exporter). Norway was a founding member of the United Nations, NATO, the Council of Europe, the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), the OECD and the OSCE, and maintains membership in several other international organisations. Norway has twice rejected proposed membership of the European Union although Norway has access to the European single market through membership in the European Economic Area.

Like neighbouring Sweden, the traditional cookery of Norway is fairly simple, based around the staples of fish, meat and potatoes. Spices (which had to be sourced from the Mediterranean) were scarce. Stews based on meat and vegetables are common as are a range of fish dishes (particularly using dried and pickled fish). Rolled and pickled meats are also a feature of Norwegian cookery.

Sweden, officially: em>Konungariket Sverige (The Kingdom of Sweden) is a Nordic country situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula of Norhtern Europe. Stockholm is its capital and largest city and the official language is Swedish (though Finnish, Meänkieli, Sami, Romani and Jiddisch are recognized as regional languages). Sweden is officially a Parliamentary democracy and Constitutional monarchy. The Swedish economy is the world's 33rd largest and Sweden joined the European Union in 1995. The modern name 'Sweden' is thought to originate from Old English Sweoðeod, which meant "people of the Swedes" (Old Norse Svíþjóð, Latin Suetidi).

The traditioal cuisine of Sweden is fairly simple, based around the staples of fish, meat and potatoes. Spices (which had to be sourced from the Mediterranean) were scarce. But Swedish culinary culture is very open and has been influenced by French, Italian and latterly Japanese and North African cuisines.