The position of Sweden on a geographical map

Sweden belongs to the Nordic countries. This kingdom occupies the southern and eastern part of the Scandinavian Peninsula and is located on an area of ​​450 thousand square meters. km.

Remark 1

Translated into Russian, Sweden means “the state of the Sveevs” - this is a Germanic tribe that lived on modern territory country. The official name of the state is the Kingdom of Sweden.

From north to south, the country stretches for 1500 km and 1/7 of its territory is located beyond the Arctic Circle.

Sweden has two neighbors - in the west, for 1619 km, the border goes with Norway and 614 km in the northeast - with Finland. In the south and east, the country is washed by the waters of the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Bothnia.

The coasts of Sweden are very indented and abound in skerries and island groups. Sweden is separated from Denmark by the Øresund, Kattegat, and Skagerrak straits. The coastline stretches for 3218 km. There are two large islands of the country in the Baltic Sea - Gotland and Öland.

The Scandinavian Peninsula has the most north point, which unites three states - Sweden, Norway, Finland.

Sweden is a constitutional monarchy, so the head of state, the king, has limited power.

Remark 2

As the largest country in the Scandinavian Peninsula, Sweden is a mixture of pristine nature and ancient customs. The population of the country is distinguished by a special upbringing, goodwill and a high level of democracy.

In terms of geography and tourism, the country is divided into four parts:

• southern Sweden,
• west coast,
• Central Sweden,
• Northern Sweden.

The capital of Sweden is the city of Stockholm.

In addition to the capital, major cities are:

• Gothenburg,
• Vasteras,
• norrkoping,
• Squid,
• Linkoping,
• Jönköping.

The official language is Swedish, but English and German are also widely used.

History of Sweden

According to historical science the first settlers on the territory of modern Sweden appeared in the 1st century AD. - in the south they were the Getae, and in the north - the Svei. The possessions were divided into small principalities, and not far from the modern city of Uppsala there was a pagan tribal center.

Power gradually passed to the priests of this center, who later became kings. The Swedish kingdom was formed by the XI century, as a result of the unification of all the tribes.

The southwestern coast of Sweden at that time belonged to Denmark. The Swedish Vikings raided neighboring lands and in 1164 conquered Finland.

At the same time, Christianity appeared in the kingdom and was finally consolidated in 1248. Of the European countries, Sweden was the last to adopt Christianity.

Over the next century, there is a continuous struggle for the royal throne in the country. In order to somehow resolve this issue and put an end to the strife, in 1397 a meeting of representatives of the nobility of Sweden, Norway, and Denmark was held.

For all three states, a common king was elected, whose coronation took place in Kalmar. This new association was called the Kalmar Union. In this "triple alliance" Denmark played the supreme role, and Sweden was dependent on it for 120 years.

Of course, the population did not feel much satisfaction from this supremacy and from time to time raised uprisings against the Danes. The Danes were expelled in 1523.

With the beginning of the great Reformation, the Lutheran religion was introduced, and the hereditary monarchy was introduced in 1544 by King Gustav.

For many years, since 1570, Sweden has been waging a war with the Russians, which ends in 1595 with the Tyavzin peace. The result of the war was the recognition by Russia of the transition of Estonia under the rule of the Swedes and the transfer of the border to the east.

The seventeenth century begins with a new war of Sweden against Poland and Russia, which ends with many victories for the Swedes.

Sweden becomes the leading power on the Baltic Sea, and Denmark in 1658 cedes the southern provinces to it.

IN northern war, which flared up in 1700, Sweden opposes the coalition of Russia, Denmark, Poland. Having invaded Russia in 1708, the Swedes were defeated in the next 1709 near Poltava. The Swedish king died on the battlefield and the dominance of the Swedes in the Baltic ended.

On the basis of a peace treaty signed in 1721, Sweden lost all the previously captured lands, except for Finland.

The war-weary country adopts a new constitution and limits the king's power in favor of the Riksdag's estate parliament. In 1805, Sweden joins the anti-Napoleonic coalition.

In 1808, Russian troops invade Finland and annex it to Russia.

Remark 3

Sweden ceased to take part in wars from 1815 and began to develop its economy. Even during the First and Second World Wars, it remained neutral. In 1991, the country declares its entry into the European Union and becomes its full member in 1995.

Features of the Swedish mentality

A small wooden house and always red. It should stand in the wilderness and it is very good if there is a lake nearby where you can swim and fish. Yes, at least just take a walk or ride a bike to reconnect with nature, listen to the chirping of birds and the rustling of leaves.

No Swede can refuse such a dream. Houses began to be covered with red paint for a reason - in the central part of the country they found rich deposit copper, and the locals immediately began to produce red paint. At that time, it was customary to paint buildings in the "royal" red color.

Having received a cheap red pigment, poor citizens hurried to paint their country. On the one hand, it was a more solid look, and on the other hand, an additional protective layer for their homes, which kept them from mold and dampness.

Every second poor person had such red houses, and the Swedish nobility decided to make the yellow color popular, but the desired effect did not work out. Thoughts about the red wooden house still warm the hearts of the Swedes.

Many sources point to the general character traits of the Swedes - strong shyness, silence and restraint, low communication skills. The picture is far from rosy, but it is not true.

Despite restraint and silence, and this is a national trait, the Swedes will never refuse to help. They are characterized by great responsibility for work duties and the loss of a job becomes a personal tragedy. A non-working person is immoral and condemned.

The Swedes are very punctual, pedantic people who give a warm welcome to everyone who comes to the country. For them, rudeness and impolite treatment is completely unacceptable.

All spheres of Swedes' life are regulated by unwritten rules of conduct. Of particular interest to the country is the Swedish model of the "welfare state". This model is called “functional socialism” in the West.

In the first place, Swedish managers and leaders of higher levels of management put the problems of social security of their subordinates, employees of enterprises and firms.

Businessmen of the country are distinguished by a high level of qualification and highly appreciate this quality in their partners. As a rule, they speak several languages, but primarily English and French. By tradition, all negotiations begin with common themes- the weather, impressions of the guests, sports, etc. Everyone is given the opportunity to speak.

Wealthy Swedes now travel all over the world. They reached Thailand, Vietnam and New Zealand. Meanwhile, more and more tourists come to Sweden every year than before. Sweden has a long history, in which the Vikings and the king Charles XII. In this country, you can walk along the amazing medieval streets, take a sea cruise along the coastal waters, fish in Swedish rivers and lakes rich in fish, and, of course, go skiing at local upscale ski resorts.

Geography of Sweden

Sweden is located on the Scandinavian Peninsula, in northern Europe. Sweden borders Finland in the northeast and Norway in the west. The south and east of the country is washed by the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Bothnia. The Øresund, Skagerrak and Kattegat straits separate Sweden from neighboring Denmark. General area Sweden, including the islands, is 229,964 square kilometers, and the total length of the border is 2,333 km.

About 65% of Sweden is covered by forests. In the north of Sweden, where there are a lot of low mountains, there are taiga forests. In the west of the country there are the Scandinavian mountains, which stretch across the entire peninsula for 1,700 kilometers. The highest peak in Sweden is Mount Kebnekaise (2111 m).

There are many rivers in Sweden, the longest of which are Kalix Elf, Tourne Elf, Ume Elf and Skellefte Elf. A significant part of the Swedish territory is occupied by lakes (Venern, Vättern, Elmaren, Mälaren).

Capital

The capital of Sweden is Stockholm, which is now home to more than 900 thousand people. In the early Middle Ages, there was a small fishing village on the site of modern Stockholm.

Official language

The official language in Sweden is Swedish, belonging to the Scandinavian group of the Germanic branch of the Indo-European language family.

Religion

Over 71% of Swedes are Lutherans (Protestants) belonging to the Church of Sweden. However, only about 2% of Swedes go to church every week.

State structure of Sweden

Sweden is a constitutional monarchy in which the head of state, according to the Constitution, is the King.

Executive power in Sweden is vested in the Prime Minister and the Cabinet of Ministers. Legislative power belongs to the unicameral parliament - the Riksdag (349 deputies).

The main political Swedish parties are the Liberal People's Party, the Center Party, the Christian Democrats, the Swedish Democrats, and the Social Democrats.

Climate and weather

Sweden is located in the northern latitudes, but in this Scandinavian country the climate is temperate with three pronounced climatic zones:

• Oceanic climate in the south;
• Humid continental climate in the central part of the country;
• Subarctic climate in the north.

The temperate Swedish climate is due to the influence of the warm Gulf Stream. In the southern and central regions of Sweden, the average air temperature ranges from +20C to +25C in summer and from -2C to +2C in winter.

The air temperature in the northern part of the country is colder. Already in September, in northern Sweden, the air temperature drops below 0C.

Average air temperature in Stockholm:

• January - -3С
• February - -3С
• March - 0C
• April - +5С
• May - +11С
• June - +16C
• July - +18C
• August - +17C
• september - +112C
• october - +8C
• November - +3C
• December - -1C

Sea in Sweden

In the east, Sweden is washed by the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Bothnia. General coastline Sweden is 3,218 km.

Average sea temperature in Stockholm:

• January – +3C
• February - +2C
• March - +2С
• April - +3C
• May - +6C
• June - +11C
• July - +16C
• August – +17C
• september - +14C
• October - +10C
• November - +7C
• December - +5C

Rivers and lakes

There are a lot of rivers in Sweden, the longest of which are Kalix Elv (450 km), Skelleft Elv (410 km) and Tourne Elv (565 km) in the north, and Ume Elv (460 km) in the central part of the country.

A significant part of the Swedish territory is occupied by lakes (Venern, Vättern, Elmaren, Mälaren).

Many tourists come to Sweden to go fishing. Salmon, trout, salmon, pike, brown trout, perch and grayling are found in large numbers in Swedish rivers and lakes. But, of course, in Sweden they also fish in the coastal waters of the Baltic Sea.

History

For the first time, the Swedes as a nation were mentioned in 98 AD. ancient Roman historian Tacitus. By the 7th century, Viking military squads were formed in Sweden, who set off to conquer new lands with the hope of getting rich. The expansion of the Swedish Vikings was directed to the territory of modern Finland, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and further to Constantinople and Baghdad.

Historians still cannot say exactly when the Kingdom of Sweden was formed, and who became its first king.

Christianity appeared in Sweden in 829, but paganism had a strong position among the Swedes until the 12th century.

In the years 1100-1400, Sweden was characterized by an internal struggle for power with numerous wars. In 1335, the Swedish king Magnus Erikson abolished slavery in the country.

The "father" of the modern Swedish nation is considered to be King Gustav I of Sweden, who in the first half of the 16th century broke the Hanseatic League's monopoly on trade in the Baltic Sea. From this time begins the "golden age" of Sweden. It can be rightfully said that already in the 17th century Sweden became an influential European state.

In the era of its "golden age" Sweden conquers several German principalities and invades Poland, and then Russia and Ukraine. In the end, the Swedish Emperor Charles XII is defeated by Russian troops Peter I near Poltava. This marked the beginning of the end of the Swedish empire. According to the Peace of Nystad in 1721, Sweden gave up most of the conquered territories.

In 1809, Russia managed to conquer Finland, which was then considered eastern Sweden.

During the two world wars of the 20th century, Sweden remained neutral. Generally, in last time Swedish soldiers participated in the war in 1814. True, now Sweden is sending peacekeepers to the "hot spots" of the world.

In 1946, Sweden was admitted to the UN, and in 1995 this country joined the EU.

Culture of Sweden

Sweden in the Middle Ages dominated the Scandinavian Peninsula for a long time. This means that Swedish culture had a noticeable influence on the traditions and customs of neighboring countries. However, the Swedes also borrowed a lot from the cultures of Finland, Denmark and Norway.

For foreigners, Swedish traditions may seem mysterious and somewhat strange.

Many Swedish traditions are religious in nature (Christmas, Easter, Pentecost), while others are associated with the seasons (Walpurgis Night, Advent and Lucia).

Now Sweden also celebrates Waffle Day (“Waffle Day”) and Cinnamon Bun Day (“Cinnamon Bun Day”) every year.

Swedish Cuisine

The main products of Swedish cuisine are fish (especially herring), seafood, meat, potatoes, cheese. Mushrooms, game and berries play an important role in Swedish cuisine, but this is not surprising, given that forests cover a large area in this country. The favorite traditional dish of the Swedes is meatballs, served with boiled potatoes and sauce. In the north of Sweden, the fish dish "urströmming" is popular.

The traditional alcoholic drink in Sweden (as in other Scandinavian countries) is Aquavit, which is usually 40% ABV.

Landmarks of Sweden

Over the centuries, Sweden has accumulated a large number of attractions. Therefore, we advise tourists to visit Sweden to see:

1. Ales Stones
2. Uppsala Cathedral

Cities and resorts

The largest Swedish cities are Gothenburg, Uppsala, Malmö, and, of course, Stockholm.

Sweden has many excellent ski resorts. The skiing season is from December to April.

The top ten Swedish ski resorts include, in our opinion, the following:

1. Salen
2. Vemdalen
3. Branas
4. Tarnaby-Hemavan
5. Idre Fjall
6. Funasdalsfjällen
7. Tarnaby
8. Abisko National Park
9. Riksgransen

Souvenirs/Shopping

Sweden occupies 3/5 of the Scandinavian Peninsula. It borders Norway to the west and Finland to the east. The length of maritime borders significantly exceeds land borders.

In the south, the coast of Sweden is washed by the waters of the Baltic Sea. In the waters of this sea there are two large islands belonging to the Kingdom - Öland and Gotland.

At the peak of power, XVII-XVIII centuries, The Kingdom of Sweden controlled almost the entire coast of the Baltic Sea. Having suffered a defeat in the Northern War with Russia, imperial ambitions were finally abandoned, and the country stopped its external expansion.

Sweden is located far from the world's main trade routes and main markets. Nevertheless, even in these conditions, the country managed to become one of the world leaders in many economic indicators.

Sweden has a well-developed transport infrastructure. The southern and central part of the Kingdom has a particularly well-developed railway connection. All significant settlements connected by high-speed trains. Railways Sweden are integrated into a single network with the transport system of neighboring countries.

The country has an extensive merchant and transport fleet. Ferries run between many cities and islands. Metro built in Stockholm. The cheapest form of public transport is buses. Most of the population has cars. Total length road exceeds 213 thousand kilometers. All of them High Quality. Bicycles are very common. Most of the roads have dedicated lanes for cyclists.

Air traffic connects Sweden with most countries of the world. In total, there are 52 airports in the country, 9 of them are international. The largest air harbor - Arlanda, is located near the capital of the state. Flights from this airport depart to 160 destinations. The largest national carrier is SAS.

The rapid growth of the economy is largely due to the successful development of the export industry. IN Lately Increasingly important in the structure of exports are beginning to occupy not the classic primary industries, but the service sector, telecommunications and information technologies. The main trading partners of Sweden are the USA, Germany, Norway, Great Britain.

An important place in exports is occupied by products of the military-industrial complex. Most of it is supplied to the countries of the European Union, the USA and South Africa.

The country actively imports raw materials of various types, as well as products of the chemical industry, solid and liquid fuels, metals, and technological machines.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Sweden suffered from territorial losses. The Swedish-Norwegian union was abolished, according to which Norway was ruled by the Swedish crown. After several conflicts, the neighboring country gained full independence. Thus, Sweden lost direct access to the North Atlantic and lost the opportunity to fish there. This caused significant economic damage to the country. At that time, Sweden was a predominantly agricultural country. There was an urgent need to modernize the economy and economy. The reforms were successfully carried out.

The economic and geographical position of Sweden can be considered quite favorable, even despite the relatively small reserves of natural resources and the outlying position of the state. Sweden has been able to adapt to this situation and has become one of the most economically developed countries in the world.

natural conditions

The Scandinavian Peninsula is located in the zone of the Baltic Shield and the folded Caledonian structures. These factors determine the relief of the territory of Sweden.

The highest point in the country is Mount Kebnekaise. Its height is 2111 meters. The peninsula was the center of glaciation in Europe. In some places, the thickness of the ice cover reached 1500 meters. In the Stockholm area, one of the last glaciers existed for almost 10 thousand years.

The territory of Sweden can be divided into two natural regions - southern and northern. The northern part is a more mountainous region, where three vertical belts can be distinguished: the upper belt is the eastern region of the Scandinavian Highlands with numerous lakes, the middle belt is the Norland Plateau with its peat bogs, and finally the lower belt stretches along the plains along the western coast of the Gulf of Bothnia. Ore deposits have been discovered on the plateau.

In the south, the regions of the plains of Central Sweden, the plains of the Skåne peninsula and the Småland plateau stand out. Almost all flat areas of the area are plowed up. They are crossed by small mountainous ridges that stretch from the southeast to the northwest. Previously, these areas were covered with forests.

The territory of the country is stretched along the meridian and has a large extent from south to north. Therefore, the climate in different parts of the country can vary markedly.

The warm Gulf Stream warms the eastern and southern parts. The climate here is maritime temperate, sometimes turning into temperate continental. In January, the air temperature is usually at -15 to -23 degrees. In July, the air warms up to +21+23 degrees. The average annual rainfall is 300-800mm. In a significant part of the territory there is a noticeable swampiness of the area. This is due to high humidity and low volatility. The climate has distinct seasons. Summers are usually warm, while winters are cold.

The northern and northwestern part of the country, which lies beyond the Arctic Circle, is characterized by a subarctic climate. Winter here is long and summer is very short.

The Atlantic Ocean and the Scandinavian Mountains play a decisive role for the climate. The Gulf Stream heats the air and makes the climate of the southern and central regions comfortable for human life.

The Scandinavian mountains serve as an obstacle to warm air currents from the Atlantic. Because of this, it is noticeably colder in the north. In May there are white nights. The length of daylight hours in most of the country increases to 18 hours, and in the north - up to 24 hours. Autumn is usually windy, with frequent rains and fogs.

Natural resources

The bowels of the country have rich deposits of metal-containing resources, but there are no large deposits of oil and gas here. The reserves of metal ores reach 3 billion tons, of which 60% are iron-bearing rocks.

A large iron ore basin is located in Lapland - an area beyond the Arctic Circle. The reserves of the Kirunavara field, which belongs to this basin, are estimated by scientists at 1.6 billion tons. Another large deposit is located in the central part of the country. This is Bergslagen, which is inferior in size to the reserves of Kirunavar. But the ores found here contain less impurities.

There is a large deposit of polymetallic ores on the Norland Plateau. The composition of local ores contains zinc, copper, lead, gold, silver. Currently, copper reserves are almost completely depleted and its commercial production is not carried out.

The Central European oil and gas basin enters Swedish territory for a small part near the island of Gotland. The largest oil field Hamra has reserves of 20 thousand tons.

Hard coal is mined in the districts of Høganes and Öresund. But the coal seams here are small and do not exceed 0.8 meters. Small reserves of silver and gold have been discovered.

Most of the territory of Sweden is occupied by podzolic soils that do not have special agricultural value. The southern part of the country is dominated by brown forest soils, the most valuable and fertile in the entire territory of the peninsula. About half of the area of ​​Sweden - more than 23 million hectares, is occupied by forests. In terms of forest resources, the country occupies a leading position among European countries. The forests are dominated by conifers.

Most of Sweden is covered by a network of rivers. Most of them start in the Scandinavian mountains. Rivers such as Luleelv, Ongermanelven, Umeelv have rich hydropower reserves. In addition to rivers, Sweden has many large and small lakes. About the entire 8% of the territory are water bodies. The largest lake is Vänern in the south of the country.

Sweden is a country that combines the centuries-old traditions of a great monarchy, the latest technology and progressive views modern cities and untouched by man corners of nature. In addition to all of the above, Sweden is one of the three European countries that provide the highest standard of living for their citizens. The listed advantages invariably attract inquisitive people from all over the world who want to get to know the country, see the unusually beautiful Stockholm, visit interesting places Sweden and enjoy Scandinavian nature.

Features of the geographical location of Sweden

Sweden occupies the central part of the Scandinavian Peninsula, limiting its lands to Norway in the west and Finland in the northeast and across the Gulf of Bothnia. The length of the Swedish state from the shores of the Baltic Sea in the south to the mountain ranges in the north is approximately 1,500 km. The elongation of the territory from north to south creates cardinal differences in climate in different regions of the country.

The northern part of Sweden is located beyond the Arctic Circle, so for three winter months this region is immersed in the darkness of the night, against which the northern lights flicker, then flash with renewed vigor. In the same way, for three summer months the sun does not fall below the horizon of the northern expanses, increasing the day to 24 hours a day. Despite the solstice, there is no really warm weather here, and even in mid-July it rarely rises above 13 degrees.

Polar resort Riksgransen

Central Sweden has a milder and warmer climate. Most of the territory is covered with forests. In the central region is Stockholm and the former capital of the Kingdom of Sweden -. This geographic area also includes the stunningly beautiful Stockholm archipelago, which has about 24 thousand islands and rocks.

Southern Sweden is flatter and more humid than other parts of the country. There are also large lakes Vänern and Vättern. The southernmost part is the picturesque Skåne peninsula with an incredible tunnel bridge connecting Sweden and Denmark across the Øresund Strait.

Natural attractions in Sweden

In the northern region is Swedish Lapland, a national park that offers travelers not only to admire natural features but also to get acquainted with the national culture of the indigenous Sami people. The nature of Northern Sweden is strict and beautiful - snow-covered mountain peaks, rocky cliffs on the shores of the Gulf of Bothnia, an endless pine forest.

Near the Norwegian border is the Abisko Landscape Reserve, founded in 1909. This is a natural park in an intermountain valley, bounded on the north side by the Turnetresk River. On an area of ​​7.7 thousand hectares, alpine meadows and birch groves are spread, ski slopes are equipped and campsites for outdoor enthusiasts are equipped.

Another landscape park is popular with climbers. This is Sarek with eight mountain peaks from 2 thousand meters high and hundreds of glaciers. There is also an observatory located at a point 1800 m above sea level.

In central Sweden, there is a unique Stockholm archipelago with an endless scattering of large, small and very tiny islands. Some of these islands are inhabited in accordance with the modern style, some have preserved old wooden buildings (for example, Vaxholm, Sandhamn). Many islands remain natural corners without the presence of inhabitants.

The archipelago off the southwestern shores of the Swedish kingdom is distinguished by its merits. It is here that you can see red granite skerries, visit the world's first marine park. On the islands of the archipelago there are all conditions for recreation and fishing.

Popular tourist cities in Sweden

The capital of the kingdom ranks first not only in the ranking of popular tourist destinations in Sweden, but also in the entire Scandinavian Peninsula.

Stockholm is characterized by a unique island location, impressive northern architecture, the best medieval city in Europe. The operating royal residences and the world-famous Stockholm City Hall are available for viewing here, where celebrations are held on the occasion of the Nobel Prize. Many tourists, visiting Stockholm, call it the most beautiful city in all of northern Europe.

Gothenburg is the sports capital of Sweden and the second largest city in the kingdom. Large stadiums have been opened in the western center of Sweden, the largest amusement park is located. The Gothenburg Botanical Garden is the leading biological site in all of Northern Europe. The city is filled with museums and exhibition venues - the Museum of World Culture, the Museum of Technology, the Museum of Art, Exhibition Center Victor Hasselblad and others. From Gothenburg it is convenient to go to the nature reserve "Western Archipelago".

Uppsala, located 70 km north of Stockholm, was the capital of the kingdom in ancient times and has preserved a number of unique sights to this day. Former capital famous Cathedral XIII century, the paired spiers of which provide him with the status of the highest cathedral on the Scandinavian Peninsula. Uppsala is home to the oldest Scandinavian university, the Gustavianum Museum of History and Culture, a castle built during the reign of Gustav I Vasa.

It is better to start acquaintance with Sweden with a visit to the capital. Stockholm is the city that you want to return to repeatedly. Having been saturated with the unique views of the “city on the water”, you can and should pay attention to other treasures of the kingdom.

The prehistory of the creation of the museum was the preparatory underground work for the arrangement of parking for parliamentarians. During the clearing of underground territories, the builders came across fragments of the fortress wall, the remains of burials and some items related to …

Just behind the Royal Opera, on its north side, is the impressive building of the Church of St. Jacob, the patron saint of travelers. The Church of St. Jacob in Stockholm is the oldest in the northern part of the city. First mentions...

Riddarholmen Church is practically the only building of the 13th century that has survived in Stockholm to this day. The spire of the church can be seen in photographs and artistic images of Stockholm as a striking architectural detail. But this detail...

Sweden is distinguished by low density (10 million people live here - less than in Moscow), a long sea coast, dense forests and countless lakes. This is one of the northernmost countries in the world. In terms of area, it is comparable to Spain, Thailand or the US state of California. Sweden's borders have not changed since 1905, and the country has not participated in wars since 1814 - which makes Sweden one of the most peaceful countries on the globe.

Contrasts of day and night

Wealth of wildlife

The diversity of Sweden's landscapes is matched by the abundance of its fauna: from wolves and brown bears in the north to roe deer and wild boars in the south. Biological diversity is the result of the richness of the plant and water world.

Large by European standards, the country stretches from north to south for 1572 km. According to the climatic zone, coniferous forests, in particular pine and spruce, predominate in Sweden. The further south, the more often they are adjacent to deciduous groves: birch and aspen. The very south of Sweden is gentle, picturesque fields and hills, thinned out by copses and surrounded by long sandy beaches. Thanks to the limestone-rich soil, combined with the mild climate, the islands of Gotland, Öland and parts of the Scandinavian mountains are characterized by a special flora - including various types of orchids.

Facts and figures

Capital: Stockholm

Population: 10 million

Total area: 528,447 sq. km, the third largest country in Western Europe, after France and Spain

Lifespan: Men - 81 years, women - 84 years

Population born outside the country: 19,1%

Religion: The Church of Sweden is Evangelical Lutheran. Numerous other faiths and religions are also represented in the country.

Language: Swedish

Form of government: Constitutional monarchy, parliamentary democracy

Parliament: Riksdag, unicameral, 349 deputies

Education: 9 years compulsory school education, most pupils study for 12 years (including “gymnasium”). About a third continue their education at universities and colleges.

Working hours: Standard work week– 40 hours, minimum paid vacation – 5 weeks.

Telephone code: +46

Internet domain:.se

Timezone: GMT+1

Currency: 1 crown (SEK) = 100 ore

GDP per capita (PPP): USD 56,935

GNI per capita: USD 50,840

Population of the largest cities (including suburbs):

Stockholm: 2,344,124

Gothenburg: 1,030,000

Malmö: 730,529

Main export products: Machinery and transport equipment, chemicals and plastic products, electronics and telecommunications equipment, energy products, industrial equipment, road vehicles, minerals, food

National parks

In 1909, Sweden became the first European state to establish National parks. The beginning was laid in the mountains of Norrland, a region in the north of the country. This helped to save one of the last corners of virgin nature in Europe from destruction. Then, throughout Sweden, vast areas were declared nature reserves and protected areas of cultural heritage.

The rule of universal access to natural lands ( allemansratten) says that everyone has the right to walk through forests and meadows, pick berries and mushrooms - without a separate permit from landowners. But this right is also associated with obvious duties: to respect private property and.

Geography of Sweden

Length from north to south: 1,574 km

Length from west to east: 499 km

Urbanized and industrial territories: 3%

Agricultural grounds: 8%

The woods: 53% Swamps: 9%

Fields: 7% The mountains: 12%

Lakes and rivers: 9%

highest mountain: Kebnekaise (2.103 m)

Largest lake: Vanern (5,650 sq km)

National symbols of Sweden

The official Swedish heraldry is the yellow and blue flag, the national symbol "Three Crowns", the national anthem, and the coat of arms in two versions: large and small. The oldest images blue flag with a yellow cross, which have survived to this day, refer to XVI century. The very symbol of the yellow cross in the Swedish army has been applied to banners and standards since time immemorial. It is based on the outlines of the ancient coat of arms of the kingdom with a blue background, divided into four parts by a golden cross. The sign of the "three crowns" has been used as the state emblem of Sweden since at least 1336, but long before that it was known to Europeans as a symbol of the "Three Wise Kings".

Since 1916, June 6 has appeared in the Swedish calendar. In 1983, it was renamed the National Day of Sweden, and in 2004 it was proclaimed a public holiday and a day off. The date was chosen immediately for two reasons: on June 6, 1523, the first Swedish king, Gustav Vasa, ascended the throne, and on the same day in 1809, the country adopted a new Constitution that granted subjects.

National anthem of Sweden

The text "Du Gamla, Du Fria" ("You are ancient, you are free") was composed by ballad writer and folklorist Richard Dübeck (1811-1877), and its musical basis was a mid-19th-century folk melody from the province of Västmanland in central Sweden. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, this ballad gained such popularity that it was declared the national anthem of Sweden.