Regions & Boundaries
map data for Sweden

The largest of the Nordic states, the Kingdom of Sweden is situated in northern Europe. It borders Norway and Finland. It is connected to Denmark by a bridge/tunnel across the Oresünd Strait. It is the fifth largest country in Europe and has the highest population among the Nordic countries. The capital is Stockholm.
Sweden is a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy, divided into twenty-one counties and 290 municipalities. In the seventeenth century, it was one of the most powerful countries in northern Europe, taking territory from Russia, Poland, Lithuania and Germany. By the early nineteenth century, it had lost its land acquisitions and became quite poor, favouring agriculture, despite its near neighbours embracing industrialisation. It experienced mass emigration to North America and in the early 1900s there were more Swedes in Chicago, than in Gothenburg, the second largest city.
Nowadays, Sweden has one of the world’s most highly developed societies with a strong economy. It is export-oriented, with an emphasis on the engineering, automotive, pharmaceutical and telecoms industries.
Sweden has a low population density and is heavily urbanised. Relative to its size, Sweden has taken in far more migrants than any other European country and it is estimated that in recent years 10% of Sweden’s population maybe attributed to refugees from the Middle East.
Sweden is a famously open-minded and liberal society. It has a strong heritage in science and literature, reflected by the legacy of the Nobel Foundation in 1901, awarding prizes in sciences, literature and peace. With a rich artistic and musical history, Sweden was also a pioneer in twentieth century cinema. It enjoys success in winter sports, especially ice hockey, as well as tennis and soccer.
Renowned for its political neutrality, Sweden is a member of the United Nations and the European Union, but has declined NATO membership.