Sweden
Sweden is a unique and diverse country, in which Nature is always present, with about 70% of the land being forest. It is the country with the most islands in the world, having over two hundred thousand. Stockholm archipelago and the West Coast are a must when visiting. Home to the midnight Sun, reindeers, moose, midsommar and the Aurora Borealis, Sweden can be visited all year round, to experience its long summer days and long winter nights.
Its rich food culture goes further than fika, salty liquorice and fermented herring, and you can have the most amazing köttbullar (meatballs), kanelbulle (cinnamon rolls) and a yummy kladdkaka (chocolate birthday cake!), amongst others. Do remember: it’s a cashless society.
Swedes are serious about music and film, both historically and nowadays. There are plenty of concerts of artists from all over the world all year round. Swedes are leaders in gender equality, and have some of the best parental leave systems in the world. They are as known for their fear of conflict and lagom, as they are for holding fairness, honesty and freedom as some of their highest values. They pay high taxes, and do it gladly, as they trust their government, which has monopoly of all strong alcohol sales, and a constitution that defends free healthcare and education for all (including university). Swedes are very proud of their land and their countless inventions, as they should be, as the land of Ikea and vikings is full of gems to explore.
- Official name: Konungariket Sverige (Kingdom of Sweden)
- Continent: Europe
- Capital: Stockholm
- Total area: 528447 km² (5th largest country in Europe)
- Oceans: Non oceanic, although Kattegat and Skagerrak straits open to the North Atlantic. Baltic Sea and Botnia Gulf
- Administrative Division: 3 historical regions, 21 counties, 290 municipalities
- Government: Constitutional parliamentary democracy monarchy
- Population: Over 10.5 million people. Close to a million in Stockholm
- Languages: Six official languages. Main: Svenska (Swedish). Other: Sami, Finnish, Romani Chib, Meänkieli and Yiddish. Country adapts to diversity, offers language options in education, and assures that all public bodies express themselves in a “simple, understandable, protected way for all”
- Religion: Freedom of beliefs and faiths. Formerly Nordic religion. About half of the population belongs to The Church of Sweden (Protestant Lutheran). Atheism terminology is questioned. One of the countries with the least religious followers in the World.
- Currency: Svenska Krona (SEK) – Swedish krona
- Time zone: GMT+1
- Country code: +46
- Internet domain: .se
- Knowledge: *** Expert
