Scandinavia is a region in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties. The majority national languages of the region, and their many dialects, belong to the Scandinavian dialect continuum, and are mutually intelligible North Germanic languages. The term Scandinavia in local usage covers the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. However, in English usage, the term also sometimes refers to the Scandinavian Peninsula, or to the broader region including Finland and Iceland, which is always known locally as the Nordic countries.