but they're pretty small actually
What's the point of these countries being big if 90% of the people live in the most southern parts anyway?
A lot of it is uninhabitable or better serviced by trade routes.
It's better to have a smaller population more spread out than clumps of populated insanity in snow. More problems occur die to the breakdown of infrastructure and services related to its upkeep.
Give it some fifty years and they should be tropical beach paradises perfect to suit their refugee hybrid genetics.
