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 Sweden, officially the Kingdom
of Sweden (Swedish: Konungariket Sverige (help·info)), is a
Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe.
It is surrounded by Norway (west), Finland (northeast), the
Skagerrak, Kattegat and Öresund straits (southwest) and the
Baltic Sea (east). It has maritime borders with Denmark,
Germany, Poland, Russia, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, and it
is also linked to Denmark (southwest) by the Öresund Bridge. It
has been a member of the European Union since 1995. Its capital
city is Stockholm.
At 449,964 km² (173,720 square miles), Sweden is the third
largest country in Western Europe. Sweden has a low population
density except in its metropolitan areas; 84 percent of the
population lives in urban areas, which take up only 1.3 percent
of the total land area.[1] The citizens enjoy a high standard of
living and the country is generally perceived as modern and
liberal,[2] with an organizational and corporate culture that is
non-hierarchical and collectivist compared to its Anglo-Saxon
counterparts.[3] Nature conservation, environmental protection
and energy efficiency are generally prioritized in policy making
and embraced by the general public in Sweden.[4][5]
Sweden has a long 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. In 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 state, consistently achieving a high
position among the top-ranking countries in the UN Human
Development Index (HDI). Sweden has a rich supply of water
power, but lacks significant 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. In the 17th century Sweden expanded its
territories to form the Swedish empire. Most of these conquered
territories had to be given up during the 18th century. In the
early 19th century Finland and the remaining territories outside
the Scandinavian peninsula were lost. After its last war in
1814, Sweden entered into a personal union with Norway which
lasted until 1905. Since 1814, Sweden has been at peace,
adopting a non-aligned foreign policy in peacetime and
neutrality in wartime.[6]
Source: Wikipedia -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweden
Sweden is widely known
for it's beautiful scenery, grand views, beaches, forests etc.
One of the most popular things about Sweden, in addition to
traditions such as Midsommar and Dalahästar, is "Allemansrätten".
This is a law that makes it possible for pretty much everybody
to go pretty much everywhere without having to pay for it. In
other words; you can enjoy our nature without paying extra for
it!
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