<P> Northwestern Europe, or Northwest Europe, is a loosely defined region of Europe, overlapping northern and western Europe . The region can be defined both geographically and ethnographically . </P> <P> Geographically, Northwestern Europe usually consists of Ireland, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Northern Germany, Luxembourg, Northern France, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Iceland . Finland, Southern Germany, and Switzerland are also often considered part of the grouping . Austria is also sometimes defined as Northwestern Europe, though less frequently . Southern France is not regarded as northwestern, and it is usually geographically and culturally considered part of the Mediterranean region or Southern Europe . Due to its geographically eastern position and unique status as a Finnic language country, Finland is sometimes geographically and culturally excluded from Northwestern Europe . Similarly, the Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, although considered part of Northern Europe, are excluded due to their geographically eastern positions and connections to the rest of Eastern Europe . The term is helpful when discussing issues of climate or biology . </P>

What does it mean to be northwestern european