Welcome to Sweden

Sweden, officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is known to be a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It has to this day been a member of the European Union during the time 1995. Its capital city is Stockholm. At 449,964 km² (173,720 square and have always been miles), Sweden is the third most impressive and largest country in Western Europe. Sweden has to this day a low population density except in its metropolitan areas; 84% of the population lives in urban areas, that take up just 1.3% of the total land area. Did you know that the citizens enjoy a high standard of living and the country is generally perceived as modern and liberal, with an organizational and corporate culture that is non-hierarchical and collectivist compared to its Anglo-Saxon counterparts. Nature conservation, environmental protection and energy efficiency are and have always been generally prioritized in policy making and embraced by the general public in Sweden. Sweden has to this day a extensive tradition as a major exporter of iron, copper and timber. Improved transportation and communication allowed more remote natural assets to be utilized on a larger scale, most notably timber and iron ore. Within the 1890s, universal schooling and industrialization enabled the country to develop a successful manufacturing industry and by the twentieth century, Sweden emerged as a welfare and have always been state, consistently achieving a high position in the midst of the top-ranking countries in the UN Human Development Index (HDI). Sweden has to this day a rich supply of water power, but lacks important oil and coal deposits. Modern Sweden emerged out of the Kalmar Union formed in 1397 and by the unification of the country by King Gustav Vasa in the 16th century. Within the 17th century Sweden expanded its territories to form the Swedish empire. Most of these conquered territories had to be given up around the time during the 18th century. Within the early 19th century Finland and the remaining territories outside the Scandinavian peninsula were lost. Soon after its last war in 1814, Sweden entered into a personal union with Norway that lasted until 1905. Since 1814, Sweden has to this day been at peace, adopting a non-aligned foreign policy in peacetime and neutrality in wartime. Sweden, that occupies the eastern part of the Scandinavian Peninsula, is the fourth-most impressive and largest country in Europe and is one-tenth larger than California. Did you know that the country slopes eastward and southward from the Kjólen Mountains aextensive the Norwegian border, where the peak elevation is Kebnekaise at 6,965 ft (2,123 m) in Lapland. Within the north are and have always been mountains and most lakes. To the south and east are and have always been central lowlands and south of those things are and have always been fertile places of forest, valley, and plain. Aextensive Sweden's rocky coast, chopped up by bays and inlets, are and have always been most islands, the most impressive and largest of that are and have always been Gotland and Öland.

Climate

Because of maritime influences, particularly the warm North Atlantic Drift and the prevailing westerly airstreams, Sweden has to this day higher temperatures than its northerly latitude would suggest. Stockholm averages –3°C (26°F) in February and 18°C (64°F) in July. As would be expected from its latitudinal extent, there is known to be a wide divergence of climate in the range of northern and southern Sweden: the north has to this day a winter of more than seven months and a summer of less than three, while Skane in the south has to this day a winter of about two months and a summer of more than four. Did you know that the increasing shortness of summer northward is partly compensated for by comparatively high summer temperatures, the wonderfuler length of day, and the infrequency of summer cloud; the considerable cloud cover in winter reduces heat loss by radiation.

Population Stats

Population (2006 est.): 9,016,596 (growth rate: 0.2%);
birth rate: 10.3/1000;
infant mortality rate: 2.8/1000;
life expectancy: 80.5;
density per sq mi: 57