Digitalisation is rapidly changing both societies and human activities worldwide, including the European High North, that is, in the northernmost parts of Finland, Sweden and Norway, as well as in north-western Russia. National and regional policies, as well as commercial endeavours, have been designed to advance digital development and/or to mitigate its harmful effects, although only limited attention has been paid to the interests, needs and fears of the people and communities experiencing this development. The primary aim of digitalisation and cybersecurity efforts should be the advancement of human wellbeing through a well-contextualised, human-centric approach. Alongside a human security perspective on cybersecurity this chapter introduces the content of the book.
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In 2017, the population density (persons per square kilometre) was 18.1 in Finland compared to 1.9 in Lapland; 24.7 in Sweden compared to 2.6 in Norrbotten; and 17.1 in Norway compared to 1.6 in Finnmark and 6.6 in Troms (Eurostat, 2019b).
In 2018, the median age of the population (in years) was 42.8 in Finland compared to 47 in Lapland; 40.6 in Sweden compared to 44.8 in Norrbotten; and 39.5 in Norway compared to 40.7 in Finnmark and 40 in Troms (Eurostat, 2019c).
In 2016, the gross domestic product at current market prices (in 1000 euros per inhabitant) was 39.3 in Finland compared to 36.2 in Lapland; 46.7 in Sweden compared to 44.5 in Norrbotten; and 64.1 in Norway compared to 51.1 in Finnmark and 53.2 in Troms (Eurostat, 2019a).
In 2017, a number of the municipalities with the highest unemployment rates were located in the northern parts of Sweden and Finland. For instance, in the final quarter of 2017, most of the municipalities in Lapland county had higher unemployment rates than the Finnish average (11.2%), with Salla (20%) and Enontekiö (17.7) having the highest (Statistics Finland, 2018). Further, the municipalities of Haparanda (6.1%) and Pajala (5.4%) had unemployment rates that were significantly above the Swedish average of 4.0% (Regionfakta, 2018).