Category: Sweden

Sweden is the Northern European country situated on Scandinavian Peninsula. Sweden is bordered by Norway and Finland. The country is connected with Denmark with Oresund Bridge. The capital of Sweden is Stockholm. Pre-historic period of Sweden was inhabited by hunter-gatherer-fishers. The history of modern Sweden begins when the formation of Kalmar Union occurred in 1397. In 16th century, the country was unified by King Gustav Vasa. Sweden became the great power of Europe during 17th century by expanding its territories. By 18th century, the country gave away most of its territories conquered. Sweden lost Finland and other remaining province outside Scandinavian Peninsula were lost in 19th century. Sweden united with Norway in 1814, and it ended in 1905.

Sweden is politically a constitutional monarch where King is the head of the stat. The current King is Carl XVI Gustaf, but the royal power is limited in ceremonial and official functions. Executive power is vested on the government, and head of the government is Prime Minister. Legislative power is under the control of parliament and government. Judicial system is independent from other powers of the country. Sweden has a mixed economy with skilled labor force. The economy of Sweden mainly depends on foreign trade of hydropower, iron ore and timber.

Sweden’s total population is 10.1 million. About 85% of the population is ethnic Swedes, and other ethnic groups are Sweden-Finns, Finns, Samis and Assyrians/Syriacs. Swedish is the official language of the Sweden. The five official minority languages of Sweden are Sami, Meankieli, Romani chip, Yiddish and Standard-Finnish. The immigrant languages used in the country are Turkish, Danish, Arabic, Neo-Aramaic and Serbo-Croatian. About 78% of Swedes belongs to Church of Sweden which is the Lutheran church separated in 2000 from the state. Other religious groups are Orthodox, Roman Catholics, Baptists, Shamanism, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism and Baha’i.

Sweden has several tourist attractions, and the major attraction of the country is the landscape and excellent sceneries. Stockholm is a great destination that offers several tourist spots such as historical sites, great architecture, parks, museums, shops and nightlife. Some of the famous attractions of Stockholm are noble house, Royal Palace, St. Nicholas Church, Stockholm’s Knights Church, Kaknas Tower, Old Town of Gamla Stan and Globen which is the largest spherical building in the world. Gotland is a place in Sweden where you can find beaches, and the pleasant landscape of the city is good for cycling.

Lake Siljan is a major attraction of Sweden situated in Dalarna. Dalarna is a famous summer holiday destination of Sweden. Mines are also popular among the tourists, and some of the popular mines of Sweden are copper mine of Falun, Gallivare of Lapland and Iron-ore mines in Kiruna. Several natural reserves and national parks are there in Sweden perfect for hiking. Liseberg Park is the oldest theme park of Sweden where the tourists can enjoy several rides and games. Ice Hotel is a great tourist spot situated in north Sweden, and the hotel is constructed with ice. Every winter the hotel is re-constructed and the hotel allows guests only on coldest months. Helsingborg Castle at Helsingborg is a great attraction of Sweden.